Turn Left
by Wasfiyah
Summary: What if Anakin was given a second chance to do it all over again. What if he had instead turned left. AU Anakin Skywalker and Padme -undergoing small proofreading and rewrite
1. Chapter 1: Turn Left

Chapter One : Turn Left

He had warned Master Windu that Palpatine was evil. Anakin didn't know how he missed such an obvious evil, a Sith Lord for so long. How did the Jedi council miss this? The thoughts ran through his head, in a never ending loop, it angered him just how arrogant, how ignorant the Jedi were. How dare they have the right to lecture him on his abilities as a Jedi knight when they allowed evil to fester in the senate, in the order itself. He stared at the sunset over the horizon of Coruscant, his mind was crowded with thoughts, and Anakin shifted his weight on his feet and placed his hand on the glass. He could feel the billions of lives pulsing outside, he inhaled feeling the force pulsate around him. He could help but be reminded that this was the room where the Jedi judged, criticized and ignored him.

 _See through you, we can. You are on this Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master. What? ! How can you do this? This is outrageous, it's unfair . . ._

 _I'm more powerful than any of you. How can you be on the Council and not be a Master? Fear is the path to the dark side... fear leads to anger... anger leads to hate.. hate leads to suffering._

Anakin cleared his mind of the ghosts of the past. All he could do was think of was Padmé, his dreams plagued him nightly. Each night the visions became clearer, and more and more sidious. The dreams were eerily similar to the ones that plagued him about his mother. He could never see much, just her face in great pain and a sense that she was dying. A familiar voice entered his head,

 _You do know, don't you, if the Jedi destroy me, any chance of saving her will be lost_.

White hot blinding rage entered Anakin's heart, he looked at his cybernetic hand. Which he knew he shouldn't be able to feel, but for the past day all he could feel was a blinding pain where his hand used to be. The pain was a never ending reminder of the pain stored away in his heart that only grew each day after the death of his mother.

Anakin felt tears well up in his eyes, blurring his view of the vastness outside, and the sun setting, he made a fist making a silent pact to himself to ensure no harm ever came to those he loved ever again, he could sense Padmé with him somehow, a soothing voice entered his mind.

 _I truly, deeply love you. Before I die. I want you to know_.

No decided Anakin, he shook his head, as a teardrop fell from his face. That was it, he decided, he could no longer ignore it, he couldn't let Padmé die. Whatever it took, it must be done. He turned around and left the Jedi Council chambers, and didn't care he if never saw it again.

"I can't do this ... I can't let her die." he said to himself right before he entered into his ship. "Chancellor Palpatine's office R2". R2 beeped in acknowledgement.

Anakin ran towards the sounds of a crash, _was it too late?_ Every step felt as if he was wearing Mandolorian Iron weights on his legs, every moment agonizing. Entering the office, it's a horrifying spectacle; three Jedi Masters slain by his feet, and came upon Palpatine cowering on the ledge of his window, and Mace Windu upon him ready to strike.

"You are under arrest, Sith!" The words come from Mace, Anakin isn't shocked he is the one who turned the now cowering dark lord on his own window ledge where not less than an hour ago he attempted to offer him anything his heart desired. There was only thing his heart desired, and right now his only way to save her was perilously on the edge.

Palpatine turned to face Anakin, his eye's wide in fear, his face even paler than usual, "Anakin! I told you it would come to this. I was right. The Jedi are taking over."

Anakin frantically shifted his gaze from Mace Windu to Palpatine. His soul was torn, Palpatine was, as he learned was the very Sith he and the Jedi had been looking for since he was a child. This Sith who, it felt was like his father, guiding him, giving him advice, he was there for the small boy from the Outer Rim when no one else was. To find out that your father was evil, pure unadulterated evil, was one thing. But what made the situation unfolding in front of him was that this evil presence was his only hope to save his wife. Seeing Palpatine plead for his life made Anakin skeptical, he was angry at the Jedi, for many reasons, he knew even Obi-Wan had his reservations about the direction of the Order, but was he ready to believe that the Jedi were taking over? Mace Windu sounded more authoritative than usual, manic even,"You old fool. The oppression of the Sith will never return. Your plot to regain control of the Republic is over . . . you have lost . . ."

If he could just arrest Palpatine, talk Mace Windu into trusting the courts, or the senate. Mace would have to agree to using democracy, law and order to their advantage, he could use him, to save Padmé. Before he had time to decide how to talk Mace into his idea he noticed an odd glance in Palatine's gaze, there was something inhuman in it, why had he not seen it before? "No!, NOOO you will die!". Palpatine sent out lightning out from his hands towards Mace, but Mace deflected it back towards Palpatine. Almost immediately Anakin saw his mentor age, and his face warp, it was if his human face was the mask and this was his true face, a sith face. The face he had grown up with, the warmth and personality this animal showed him was a lie.

"He is a traitor, Anakin."Palpatine said weakly, Mace Windu turned his face to Anakin, sweat dripping down his face and his arms visibly shaking, tired from battling a sith lord. "No Anakin, Palpatine is the traitor here. Help me"

A decrepit voice entered Anakin's mind, like a snake wrapping around his mind, caressing and stroking his desires.

 _Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force, Anakin, and you will be able to save your wife from certain death. Let me help you to know the subtleties of the Force_.

Palpatine crawled further onto the ledge of the window, his lips warbling," I have the power to save the one you love." Palpatine had nowhere else to go, reacting like a trapped animal, and Mace Windu advanced upon him further "Help me! Don't let him kill me. I can't hold on any longer" Palpatine seemed enunciate every syllable. Anakin frantically pleads, "He must stand trial!". Mace Windu is exhausted, he cannot keep up this battle any longer, he's seen too much in the months that Anakin and Obi-Wan have been chasing Separatists around the Outer Rim, he knows that the man before him is no mere mortal. As he told him only moments ago, he IS the senate, no court could hope to be fair. Mace Windu, tiredly shouted "He has too much control of the Senate and the Courts. He is too dangerous to be kept alive." He was right, of course. History would probably not look to kindly to a quasi-judicial religious order executing a politician for being the mythological devil of old, but here and now for the good of democracy it was something that needed to be done.

Anakin looked towards his long time mentor and a long look at Mace Windu.

Master Windu and he had never been close, not like he was with Obi-Wan. He was often at odds with Anakin, questioning his abilities as a Jedi, questioning his abilities as a general, questioning his destiny. After his tactless response to his former Padawan's trial, he had thought things that were far from acceptable for a Jedi. Anakin swore that he would never forgive the Order, and never forgive Mace Windu after attempting to talk his way out his behaviour by bestowing her with passing her great trial. It wasn't the only thing that he noticed with the Jedi council, but it was one that stung the worst. He trusted him as Jedi, but as a friend, he did not.

Shaking his head slightly, Anakin spoke up, "It's not the Jedi way, to kill an unarmed man in battle." Anakin felt hypocritical shouting the statement, but if he were to be the Jedi he wanted to be, and save Padme, it was the truth. Mace Windu looked so utterly annoyed with Anakin at this moment, so exhausted that his usual Jedi stoicism faded away, Palpatine tried a final time, " I'm too weak. Don't kill me. Please. Please don't." Anakin couldn't bear this any longer and decided he had to put an end to this. He needed Palpatine, he needed Padmé. He couldn't ask for aid from anyone else, no one else would understand. His mentor looked so frail, this was the only way he kept assuring himself. He would make everyone understand.

 **"NO!"** A scream emanated from Anakin and rushes towards the two battling warriors. Mace Windu is about to slash into Palpatine, rushing to intercept, Anakin stops Windu's saber from cutting into Palpatine, he is about to deflect. Something tells Anakin to slow down, not enough to notice from the naked eye, but to a Jedi, it's enough to think for a moment. He decides to turn to his left and looks into Windu's eyes. Looking into the glittering iris of Mace's chestnut eyes, staring back at him, it's here he sees the reflection of Palpatine, here there was doubt. He never saw it before, but he truly sees an incredibly powerful Sith lord who had been playing Anakin for years, even now. Palpatine didn't think that he could see him in the reflection, but Anakin caught a grin.

 _He thought he had won, Anakin's thoughts erupted in his mind, Dooku was right. The senate was in thrall to a powerful Sith Lord and we were all his puppets_.

Anakin returned from his thoughts. "Help me Anakin, I'm so weak" Anakin still wanted this man to face trial, but Windu was expediting this process much faster than expected. Anakin closed his eyes quickly and thought of Padmé, her love. Just this once, he turned left and made his decision. He raised his lightsaber, and in an instance and stabbed into Chancellor Palpatine.

 _I'm sorry my love, I have doomed you to death_

Palpatine's face was similar to Dooku's when he executed him, one of shock, and a final realization of the truth, he did not even have a moment to scream, Anakin made sure of that. Angrily Anakin raised his lightsaber again, and dismembered his head from his frail body, causing what was left of his body to tumble outside towards the endless bottom of Coruscant. Anakin fell to his knees, crying out "What have I done, Oh what have I done!" But it was done, there was no going back from this moment, Anakin thought. A moment of panic overtook Anakin, gripping the red fibers of the carpet, but quickly he raced to regain his composure and looked up to Mace Windu. Mace Windu moved from the window, and put his hand on Anakin's shoulder. He said nothing, visibly exhausted. Anakin stood up and sat at Palpatine's desk, and picked up one of Palpatine's lightsaber. He rolled the handle around in his palm, it was beautifully engraved, it looked like an antique. "How did we miss this?" Anakin asked, his eyes were still red and visibly distraught, "This is on all of us" Windu replied.

Mace Windu sat down on the office couch, his whole body shivering as the adrenaline of the fight was wearing off, "The whole council should know of this." Anakin nodded, "I agree, most of the council is still off planet. Seems the war...is over." Anakin continued to handle Palpatine's lightsaber, his mind already elsewhere, "Master, I need rest. Please alert me when Obi-Wan returns."

Windu nodded his head. "Anakin..." Anakin stopped to look at Windu, "You have done this council proud. I would be glad to see you become Master." Anakin was too distraught to feel much of anything. He nodded, it needed to decompress everything. He feared he had just doomed himself, and his only love in the galaxy, all for the Order. Everything was so uncertain. Anakin stepped into his ship, R2 chirped and on his ship display

 _I was worried, are you okay Maker Anakin?_

"Yes R2, everything will be okay now"

 _That is good news, what coordinates should I enter now?_

He could always depend on droids, "Let's go home." R2 beeped in acknowledgement, he was glad to go home too.


	2. Chapter 2 : A New Day

Chapter 2

Anakin landed on the veranda of Padmé's apartment. He had spent as many nights as he could afford here. It was unlike any other place he had ever been, as a Jedi he had been to places that were more luxurious, he had met dignitaries from one end of the galaxy to the other. But to Anakin, no other place was as beautiful and welcoming, and no woman as beautiful as Padmé. He left his craft on the veranda, which was unusual, but he didn't care who noticed tonight, and not ever. He noticed that the drapes were drawn, shutting the night time twinkling lights away from the inside, he wasn't shocked to learn that she had fallen asleep.

He took his hands off the controls and bowed his head. His arms were still shaking, still suffering from both a rush of adrenaline, and the fear of destroying the only hope he had of saving Padmé. He kept telling himself not to believe that, trying to heed Yoda's words that the future is always in motion.

Anakin had let his emotions control him for so long into making misguided decisions. He had slaughtered an entire village of sand people, the women and children, the innocent and guilty, and it didn't bring back his mother, and it only further strained his relationships. The only one who told him that he wasn't wrong was Palpatine. Anakin's grip tightened again at the remembrance of his name.

Anakin exhaled slowly, and could see C3-PO shuffling towards his ship. "Master Anakin! Master Anakin!". Anakin jumped out of his ship, grinned and greeted his faithful companion, "I'm alright, where is Padmé? Is she alright, is the baby safe?" C3-PO gestured towards the windows, "Mistress Padmé is quite alright. She has retired to the chaise lounge". He slightly bowed, and turned back towards the apartment.

Anakin slid the glass window open and glanced at his wife sprawled on her couch, a datapad facedown on her chest, he knew she never could stop working, she was probably working on a speech, or studying the latest Trade Federation demands, or whatever it was politicians did all day, any time she tried to explain her work to Anakin his eyes would glaze over, or he would make a silly face to make her laugh. He sat on the floor next to her, trying not to wake her, just watching her breath in and out, dreaming. He put his arms underneath her as gently as he could and picked her up to her bed, in her bedroom.

 _It will be our bedroom now._

His eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, and after covering his wife under her sheets he sat at the edge of the bed. He eyed a small table by the window where there was a rather unassuming wooden box. It stood out amongst all the other intricately designed furniture made in the Naboo style, which was renowned for its elaborate designs. It stood out because he had made the box, for her shortly after they wed, as a Jedi he had few if any possessions, the wood came from some refuge he found on Ithor, and worked on creating it whenever he had free time. Which was rare.

Inside was a purple velvet, he knew it was Padmé's favourite colour. Inside were some of Padmé's most treasured things. He picked up his padawan braid, he remembered giving it to her when he finally passed his great trial, his japor snippet that he gave Padmé when he was a child on Tatooine, and one final object. It was Ahsoka's padawan braid, he fingered it gently, and sat on the bed rolling the silka beads between his fingers.

 _I can't stay here any longer, not now._

Ahsoka's words still stung him, still months later, he wanted, wished she would have stayed.

 _Maybe, but I have to sort this out on my own, without the Council and without you._

He understood wanting to leave the order, especially now. He knew. Of course she knew, she was much better than he at reading people.

He could still see her lekku bouncing, walking next to him and looking up to him smiling. "I miss you snips." Anakin spoke out loud into the darkness. As much as he didn't want to ever admit it, at least publically, especially to her was how much he depended on her. It was said that Padawans often teach their masters more than masters taught their Padawans. It was the truth with Anakin and Obi-Wan, and it was true for him and Ahsoka.

"I miss her too." Padmé said as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, rolling over, he could see her skin glittering in the light of the Coruscant traffic from outside, she was as beautiful as always. Perhaps even more beautiful tonight Anakin thought, tonight she was his, the worries of the Order no longer mattered to him. Instead all the worry that Anakin had managed to push down about the baby, about his wife poured through his eyes silently. Padmé's eyes rounded, and raised her arms towards Anakin. They embraced, tightly and she stroked his hair as she often did in the rare evenings she managed to have with her husband. They had hardly had a moment together for eight months. His arms tightly wrapped around her, he pressed his forehead against hers, he couldn't grab her any tighter. "I'm so scared, I am so afraid of losing you."

Padmé frowned, and furled her brow. "Ani, so long as I live, I will always love you. And I am not going anywhere." She pressed her lips against his, and lightly kissed him. Anakin grabbed his wife's face and readily returned her kiss. He could hardly breathe, he just wanted this feeling to never leave. He never wanted Padmé to leave, he dropped to his knees and placed his ear to Padmé's stomach and listened to the baby's heartbeat. It was steady and true, but he could sense a great uncertainty about the child. He had lost his mother on Tatooine years ago and it lead him down a dark path, but losing Padmé and his child would kill him. "I don't know if I did the right thing Padmé, I don't know."

"The right thing? Ani, what are you talking about?" Anakin shook his head, he just couldn't bring himself to admit the darkness inside, how close he was to betraying the Order that molded and raised him. He knew it would break her heart. He just couldn't tell her, not just yet, and maybe never could. She bit her lip, and hugged her husband, hoping that whatever darkness inside him could be embraced and let go.

High above in the Senatorial sector of Coruscant, Mace Windu was still sitting on the plush red couch in the office of the former Chancellor. He was exhausted physically and mentally, he was no old man, but neither was he as spry as a newly minted Jedi Knight. The gruesome spectacle of Palpatine's head, separated from its body was rolled over on his red carpet, the blood slowly rusting on the carpet, the smell of iron invaded Mace's nostrils. A creeping smile appeared on Mace's face, the Sith bled just like anyone else, Mace mused to himself. He leaned over on the couch, staring into Palpatine's lifeless eyes, rolled up into his head. He wished he could ask him out loud, how could the entire Jedi order was able to miss a Sith Lord under their own noses, how were they all so blind. Mace felt an emotion he hadn't felt since he was a Padawan, shame, and guilt. He supposed that the answer he gave wouldn't be so kind to him.

Mace rubbed his bald head and walked over to Palpatine's desk, stepping over Palpatine's head, and smoothed his palms over the dark wooden finish, and sat at the seat. Mace could feel such power emanating from this desk, both political and through the force, how many leaders had sat here, how many would continue to sit here. How had Palpatine remained so hidden? He filed through data pads filled with speeches, meetings, contacts, just the usual material a politician would have. He began opening drawers, some empty, some with more documents that were of no interest to a Jedi looking for more evidence of treachery. He opened a drawer which had a small round communicator, it wasn't odd that the Chancellor would have had a communicator, but this one was different than the standard communicator's most of the Republic used. Mace picked it up and examined it, it looked familiar but he couldn't place it exactly. It was a silvery grey, a flat circle with blue markings, "I have seen this communicator somewhere else, but where?" He mused out loud.

He tapped it to turn it on, and a holo of a clone appeared. It was odd that the Chancellor, a political would have a direct line to The Grand Republic Army. There was no reason for a politician, no matter how high up to have a direct line. Mace Windu's face creased in concern as a clone answered the call, wondering just how far the treachery went.

"General Windu?" Commander Cody asked.

"Uh..." Mace Windu had no words to come out. He reached his mind for something, "Commander Cody, do you have a current report from Obi-Wan?"

"General Kenobi has defeated General Grievous, and is leading the troops to flank the rest of the droids Sir."

"Uh, very good, continue Commander."

"Yes Sir"

Mace finally placed the communicator, it was of Kaminoan make, it looked like much of the technology he had since seen from Kaminoans. He always knew that eventually this would all lead back to Sifo Dyas, Mace Windu leaned over on his fist, filled with his own thoughts. He put his right arm in front of him and tapped his own communicator and contacted Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan, I fear that the conspiracy you uncovered on Kamino goes even further than we suspected." Obi-Wan's image came into focus in the holo, he touched his beard gently, "Interesting" he pursed his lips together, "We have been successful on Utapau. I believe we have turned the tide."

"Yes, I believe we have. I have more pressing matters, you must come at once to the Temple. We uncovered Darth Sidious, Palpatine. He has been defeated" Obi-Wan's eyes widened, his mouth opened, but he was silent. He opened his mouth again "I understand, I am on my way."

Mace turned the communicator off and leaned onto his fist again, turning his chair out towards the broken window. The night was a calm one outside, billions of lives milling about as if nothing happened. The wind whipped the Jedi's robes about, and chilled his glistening skin. He kept replaying the fight in his mind, he was sure in that split second that Anakin screamed that he was going to kill him. He saw it for that split second, it filled his mind with dread. Mace waved the thought away, no he was the one to warn about Palpatine in the first place. He remembered Obi-Wan's words,

 _He will not let me down. He never has._

There's a first time for everything, but Mace knew that it was his destiny to bring balance to the force. Chiding himself for ever having doubted the young man he rolled his head around, cracking his neck he finally felt how tired he was, too tired to fly back to the temple. Still one thing nagged at him,

 _I have the power to save the ones you love._

What was meant by that? It sounded like Palpatine had made an offer to Anakin, who was in danger and what would make a Sith so sure that he could make such an offer to him. Perhaps Obi-Wan could shed more light on these words, Mace continued to meditate on the issue, but darkness continued to invade his thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3: Carry that Weight

Chapter Three:

Still early in the morning, the air crisp and cold, Anakin and Padmé had fallen asleep in the tangled sheets as husband and wife. For the first time in weeks Anakin had a restful, peaceful sleep, he had not awoken mid sleep as he did so many nights when he returned to the planet. Still in the darkness of sleep, he hardly heard his communicator beside him pinging. It was insistent and slowly dragged him out of his much needed sleep. Groaning, he rolled over and flung his arm over to pick it up, missing the first few times he grumbled to fumble for his communicator. Noticing it was Obi-Wan, his heart picked up a beat, and ran into his throat, he rolled out of bed, grabbing a blue silken robe, and walked out of the bedroom into the hall.

"Master, have you returned from Utapau?" Anakin asked, glad to see his former master. He hated being separated from his former Master, he was always stronger beside him. Obi-Wan smiled, in a way only he could with his usual arrogant, confident smile, "I have, you'll be happy to know that our old friend Grievous is no more" A breathless chuckle came from Anakin, his throat parched his voice came out hoarse and dry, "So you'll be rather bored now with nothing to do?"

"You know me Anakin, all about fun, Master Windu told me about Palpatine." Obi-Wan's face turned into concern, waiting for Anakin to respond. Anakin lowered his head, averting his eyes to his master, unsure how much he knew. "It is true Master, Darth Sidious has been defeated. I killed him." Anakin stressed the end forcefully, Palpatine's very name still enraged him. Obi-Wan squinted, and looked over Anakin's shoulder over the holo, then his eyes met Anakin's. Obi-Wan lightened his voice with a smile, "I am close to the Temple, I want you to meet me there, I'm sure there's much you want to tell me."

"Yes, of course Master"

"And Anakin?" Obi-Wan added

After a quick pause Anakin replied,"Yes?"

Obi-Wan paused, and beamed, "I am very proud of you, I always have been even when you have been brash, and impatient. You know I see you like my brother Anakin, and I will see you soon."

Anakin didn't know how to reply, he nodded his head slightly and turned off the communicator.

The room darkened without the holo, the sun had not yet peaked over the buildings. Anakin was wracked with guilt, he was so ready to betray everything he knew, Obi-Wan included. He never hated Obi-Wan, not really, but he was often jealous of him, and rebelled against him, as any young man would bristle against authority. He couldn't abandon him on the Trade Federation Cruiser when Palpatine demanded, and he couldn't see him ever abandoning him. He remembered the rage he felt towards Palpatine at that moment, he wondered why he demanded to leave him. _His fate will be the same as ours_ he remembered telling Palpatine, he meant it. So many clues he missed, why did he miss them?

Anakin exhaled slowly, going over what Obi-Wan had just told him, _I'm proud of you_. He was proud, but he didn't know just how close Anakin came to betraying him, everyone. He didn't know about Padmé, he didn't know anything. How would he react to that, would he just stare with his big blue eyes, would he turn away? Would he still be proud?

Anakin was so tired of living the lies, the deception, it was destroying him, and his relationship with Padmé. He could hear her voice, from months ago;

No, but he's your mentor, your best friend . . . he must suspect something.

Did he suspect? Anakin looked down at the floor, sighing. His fear and the deceptions were destroying him. Obi-Wan would understand, Anakin would make him understand. But deep down, he hoped he wouldn't have to.

Anakin pushed the thoughts down, and re entered the bedroom and picked up Ahsoka's padawan braid. He placed it in his pant's pocket and put back on his top and wrapped his sash around his waist. His lightsaber was on the nightstand, this image just seemed so bizarre, the mixture of Padmé's senatorial clothing, her artifacts and furniture from Naboo, his Jedi regalia together, would this domestic life ever work, he wondered. He picked up his lightsaber, but it felt much heavier than usual, he spun it in his hand, and attached it to his sash. He leant over to kiss Padmé's forehead, which was misted in a light perspiration from sleep. She groaned slightly and rolled over, and Anakin brushed her hair. "We'll go to Naboo, just liked you wanted. Just the two of us." He whispered to her, and to his unborn child.

Anakin walked out onto the veranda and greeted the new day. He had slept through the night, and it was looking into the rising sun he realized it was a restful sleep. R2 was still in the ship from last night and gave a series of impatient sounding beeps. "Sorry R2" He patted the droid, and got into his seat. He punched in the coordinates for the Jedi Temple and made haste.

Curiosity struck Anakin, and he decided to fly past Palpatine's office on his way to the Temple. The window, still shattered had attracted plasto neckers, driving slowly past, Anakin included, all curious as to what had transpired last night while the more civilized slept. The Coruscant Security Force had already quarantined the area, and Anakin noticed that three bodies were now covered under sheets. He had hardly noticed the bodies on the floor himself when he came upon Windu and Palpatine. A slight chill ran up the spine, causing Anakin to look for a draft in his ship. Finding none, he looked back towards the traffic and continued towards the Temple.

The vastness of the temple no longer gave Anakin a feeling of awe like it did when he first entered. He was a rare exceptions, most Jedi were taken in when they were small, so when they were old enough to remember, the temple was already home. For the small boy from Tatooine, his home he shared with his mother was, and would always be home. Hundreds of Jedi, learners, knights, consulars, droids, milled about the massive hallways, voices and faces familiar to Anakin, some weren't. Anakin had other matters to attend to, and he made his way to the very top in one of the spires.

He entered the Jedi Council chambers. Very few members had made it in person, scanning the room Anakin saw that only Mace Windu, Obi-Wan and Ki-Adi-Mundi had returned. Master Yoda, Plo-Koon and Shaak-Ti were present via holo. "Made it, you have." Yoda said over the holo, his holographic projection sitting in his chair, still on Kashyyk.

"Yes, as you know Master Windu and I have defeated Darth Sidious."

The room fell silent, they already knew the news, but the very name Sidious still brought silence and a chill to the room.

"Darth Sidious revealed himself last night as Chancellor Palpatine. He defeated three Jedi knights, Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin. He gave us no other choice than to end him. He left me no choice." Anakin said, looking straight at Master Windu.

Has he said anything to the council, how much do they know.

Plo Koon was the first to speak, choosing his words, "Are we truly free from the Dark side?"

Master Yoda chimed in, "Too sure of ourselves, we should not be, hmm?" The entire Jedi council thought amongst themselves, nodding in agreement. Yoda was correct, although the rule of two, created by Darth Bane over 1000 years ago had been broken, both the Master and Apprentice had been defeated. But this wasn't enough, Savage Opress, Darth Maul and Asajj Ventress were all trained in the dark arts within the rule of two, more could remain.

Master Windu was the first to break his silence, he swallowed and stood up from his chair. He cleared his throat, like he had been practicing all night, "Anakin...you are one of only two people not only in this room, but in the Jedi Order in over 1000 years to defeat a Sith, and not only have you defeated Darth Tyrannus, you have also put an end to Darth Sidious's reign. We, - I believe this was your great trial, and you have succeeded. You have done well Anakin. We wish to bestow the rank of Master." The entire council looked amongst themselves, and nodded in agreement. A terrible pang of deja-vu overwhelmed Anakin, everyone was smiling at him and looking on, unaware of what almost transpired last night.

I almost betrayed you all, and I wanted to. I needed to, can't you feel the darkness inside me?

Anakin's conscience spoke inside. Anakin looked towards Obi-Wan, looking for something, anything, then he pursed his lips and leaned on his heels, silent. Should he accept the title he so desperately wanted. Inside the library, every holocron, all the knowledge he could use to save the ones he loved available at his fingertips. But the honor was tainted, and the taste of it bitter. He bit down on his tongue, his eyes averting everyone.

Ki-Adi-Mundi seemed to notice his silence, "Anakin? What do you say?"

"Unsure are you?" Yoda asked. Anakin wanted to scream at the council that he was angry, but he kept his calm. "Sorry Master, I wish to meditate on this. It's a lot to take in." Yoda and Master Windu looked at each other, and nodded, but appeared disappointed. Obi-Wan gave a slight frown, he knew that his former Padawan was good at many things, but meditation was not one of them, something else was troubling him, and giving him pause. "You don't have to make a decision immediately, please take some time to think about this great honor." Ki-Adi added, bowing his head to Anakin. He nodded, and bowed to the council and turned to make his exit.

He didn't see that Obi-Wan had trailed behind him down the hall. "Anakin wait!" Anakin turned to meet him, "Isn't this splendid news? This is what you had wanted?" Obi-Wan asked. Slumped over slightly, Anakin shrugged his shoulders and ran his hand through his hair. "Of course it's what I wanted. I just...I don't know."

Obi-Wan seemed to notice his old Padawan's turmoil, "Anakin, what is it. You can tell me, what is bothering you." Obi-Wan also moved to hold Anakin's arm. "Come, walk with me." Anakin nodded and walked down the hall, the sun beaming through the hall. Anakin thought just how peaceful it was, how calm everything felt here. The Republic was turning the tide of the war, it wouldn't be long now before the final Separatists were sitting at the table penning their full and unconditional surrender.

Anakin and Obi-Wan walked down the hallway, much like they used to do. "Obi-Wan, I'm afraid."

Obi-Wan gave a puzzled glance, "Afraid of what?" Losing everything, Anakin mused to himself. The two of them shared a long glance, Anakin broke his gaze and stopped to look outside, watching young apprentices train their swordsmen skills. Anakin placed his hands behind his back, his back towards his old master. "I have betrayed the Jedi Order, I thought myself better and stronger than any other Jedi." Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak, but thought against it, instead remaining silent, it was a tactic he used to great effect in negotiations. Anakin was a different kind of negotiator, but diplomacy was not his strength, Obi-Wan's silence caused Anakin to bare himself. Anakin's heart was racing, and he began to pace the hall, "Anakin..." Obi-Wan began before Anakin cut him off, "Obi-Wan, before you say anything. I wa-I have to tell you something, but not here." Obi-Wan sighed, but relented in amusing Anakin. He just couldn't help himself.

Anakin stood in front of an old Delta 7B Aetherspite Class Light Interceptor, Anakin had only just finished working on, he touched the finish with his robotic hand, smoothing his fingers over it. Obi-Wan put his hand on Anakin's back, "I was concerned about you after you were accepted on the Jedi Council. You were put into a difficult position as the Chancellor's advisor. As well as not being given the rank of Master, it was only natural to be...angry." Anakin eyed a small chip in the finish on the ship, and began to pick at it so as not to look Obi-Wan in the eyes. "I know, my behaviour wasn't appropriate. But I know I was moody, and emotional. It's not the Jedi way."

Obi-Wan turned his old padawan around so that he faced him, "No, but it's human. I hated having to put you in that position. It wasn't my decision, and if I could have gone back in time I never would have." Obi-Wan explained, he leaned against the Aetherspite, lifting his chin sighing, "I have to tell you something too." Obi-Wan looked Anakin in the eyes, putting his hand on his shoulder "I went to see Senator Amidala before I left for Utapau."

Anakin's robotic hand rolled into a fist, his anger boiling. "What! Why did you speak to her!" He tore away from Obi-Wan's grasp, Obi-Wan stepped back, visibly hurt. "Neither of you are particularly good at hiding your feelings. Especially for one another."

Anakin tilted his head slightly, "What is this, are you holding something against me? Have you turned her against me?" Anakin couldn't help but be emotional, he was still raw after last night. Obi-Wan looked Anakin straight into his eyes, "Anakin. I know. I know about her, everything. She admitted everything. She was worried about you, about the baby." The entire world spun around Anakin's eyes, he leaned on his Delta 7B, and took a deep breath, "The council?" Obi-Wan put his hand back on Anakin's shoulder, "Anakin, I haven't told the Council anything, I don't intend to hurt you, you are my brother and I meant it when I said I was proud of you. I was worried that you were becoming so detached from your life here that you would make a terrible mistake. I see now that your attachment to Padmé no longer clouds your judgment like it once did."

"I nearly did, I saw Padmé die in childbirth, and the Chancellor said he had the power to save Padmé. I believed it, he fed me stories that the Jedi were weak, and they...you did not respect me. I very nearly killed Master Windu to do his bidding. I almost did it!"

"It's going to be alright now" Obi-Wan told Anakin. Anakin felt an odd relief, with the huge weight lifted off of his chest he embraced his old master and the two embraced as brothers. He looked at Obi-Wan beaming in a way Obi-Wan had never seen him do before,"I'm going to be a father Obi-Wan." It was an odd thing to hear from a Jedi knight, but from Anakin Obi-Wan learned to expect the unexpected.


	4. Chapter 4: Conspiracy

Obi-Wan stood by the dock and watched as his former Padawan fly his ship out. He crossed his arms, before spinning on his heels to leave the dock to return to the Council Chambers. A smile crept on his face, thinking of Anakin.

 _Always on the move._

He paused slightly before entering the room again. _What am I going to tell the Council about Anakin. What can I tell them?_ Obi-Wan was worried about him, he wasn't used to hearing Anakin doubt himself so much. He suspected Anakin was filled with doubt, he suspected it for years. There was a hidden darkness inside that never melted away, and as hard as he tried to cheer up his brother nothing erased it entirely. If he had to guess, he probably told much of his innermost thoughts to Palpatine, making the council nervous, and the very reason for his mission to spy on the chancellor. But now instead of Palpatine, the only person Anakin had to open up to completly was Obi-Wan. Still it was a nightmare he often had, on his darkest nights, of Anakin falling to the dark side. A fear many Jedi had about themselves. He spoke to the small knot in his stomach, he didn't think he could stop him if he had to, no, Obi-Wan thought, it would kill him.

The Jedi Council were all talking amongst themselves, Obi-Wan walked towards an empty seat, everyone became silent. Master Windu spoke first, leaning forward his elbow on one knee, "Obi-Wan, before the Clone Wars you uncovered a conspiracy of Kamino and the Clone Troopers."

Most of the council members knew the tale, but he explained his knowledge again to refresh the memory,"Yes, Count Dooku had removed all trace of the planet from the holocrons. It was on Kamino I discovered the thousands of clones of the former bounty hunter Jango Fett."

Yoda, speaking still from Kashyyk added, "Under the instruction of Sifo-Dyas, they were."

Obi-Wan raised his brow, "Indeed" "But Council, this was all discovered years ago, why go over it again?"

Master Windu began, "After Darth Sidious was defeated I found a Kaminoan communicator in a drawer in his office. I thought little off it, if perhaps a bit odd. It was a direct line to the clones, Commander Cody, your regiment."

Shaak Ti lifted her chin and silently spoke, the entire room turned to meet her, "I also became aware of another anomaly amongst the Clones."

Obi-Wan was intrigued, he leaned in to hear her better. Shaak Ti noticed her audience was captivated and spoke up, "The Clone CT-5385, known as Tup had a moment of mental confusion and shot Jedi Tiplar. His comrades noted that he mentioned something about "good soldiers follow orders."" Shaak Ti continued her story, "Fives, became convinced that there was a larger conspiracy. I thought nothing of this at first, but I trusted in Five's concern. I ordered a sample of Tup's tumour for research here at the Temple, but the Chancellor had instead directed the sample back to the medical facility."

Shaak Ti took a breath, "Fives told Captain Rex that he believed that there was a larger plot involving the Chancellor. He uncovered that the tumour removed from Tup was actually an inhibitor chip, Fives removed his own chip, and he became erratic and incoherent. Thinking on this now...both Dooku and Palpatine must have been involved together."

"And where is Captain Rex now?" Plo Koon asked. "Stationed back on Coruscant I would imagine, near Skywalker." Shaak Ti proposed. It was as good a guess as any, but regiments often got pulled to where they were needed most. The 501st was attached to Anakin, but as Obi-Wan and Anakin often fought together, they rarely needed all their resources. Late in the Clone Wars, with resources stretched thin, often to the breaking point regiments would be called away from their attached general. Obi-Wan recalled before tracking Dooku to the Invisible Hand that the 501st had been called to aid another front.

Yoda pointed to Obi-Wan, "And Obi-Wan, Skywalker's thoughts, on his promotion, asked have you?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, "I'm afraid Anakin is still conflicted. He is...surprised that after the Council's remarks on him being too impetuous, and conflicted he is suddenly given the rank he so desired. I fear he suspects that this is further political maneuvering." Obi-Wan neglected to add that these were his own thoughts, and not Anakin's. Master Windu seemed to reflect on those words, "We will further discuss this. You should speak with the clones, and see what else you can recover on this matter." He knew the Council wasn't happy, he felt like a Padawan having to explain why Qui-Gon had gone against the Council's wishes again. It was then he wished he had Qui-Gon to ask advice again.

The chances of the 501st being on Coruscant were as high as any, Obi-Wan punched the coordinates to the lower level of the city, and made his way to 79's, the well known clone bar. The music could be heard long before the place appeared in view, filled with clones and the women who frequented it. It was definitely a place where no one would reprimand a clone for imbibing too much Andorian ale. He approached a clone out of uniform standing akimbo watching a pazaak game in front of him. Obi-Wan tapped him on his shoulder, before the clone had turned around he grunted, "Listen Wire, I don't care how much cre- oh...General Kenobi Sir.. I didn't see you there." The blond clone quickly reacted with a salute, at full attention. He had a blond slightly grown out buzz cut, with 4 small squares tattooed on his left temple, Obi-Wan noticed, he laughed off the confusion. "No, not to worry. I'm looking for Captain Rex of the 501st. Have you seen him?"

"Uh, no sir. But I overheard the guys over there" and the clone pointed to a far corner booth, "I heard them talking about the 501st, or something. I dunno." "Thank you..." Obi-Wan squinted his eyes, the clone then jumping slightly to answer, "Zees sir"

"Ah, yes, thank you Zees."Zees then quickly scratched his head and continued to intently watch his pazaak game, continuing his shouting.

Obi-Wan moved through the crowded bar filled with the familiar faces and voices of clones, he spotted the table pointed out by Zees and walked up to it. One of them recognized the Jedi coming up towards them and rose to salute, "General Kenobi, an honour sir."

Obi-Wan gestured for him to sit. "I'm looking for Captain Rex, from the 501st. I was told you would know something about that" Obi-Wan recognized a clone from Plo Koon's regiment, Commander Wolffe, he spoke first. "Kenobi sir, Captain Rex has gone AWOL"

"What?" Obi-Wan had no words, "Are you sure?"

Wolffe nodded, "Positive sir, after Fives...he just wasn't the same. Talked a lot about not being a droid. Me and boost here," Wolffe thumbed over at a blonde haired clone, "we were talking about the last mission the 501st went to, in the Suolriep sector."

Obi-Wan stroked his beard, thinking back, "Ah yes, I remember that system. We had tracked General Grievous to a planet there, Saleucami I believe" Wolffe nods, "Yeah so apparently last week the 501st lands on Saleucami to remove a holdout Separatist camp. They go through this one section of the planet and apparently Rex is muttering something or other. Overnight, Rex goes missing."

"Rex could have been taken captive by Separatist forces," Obi-Wan adds, Wolffe shakes his head, his one good eye looks left and right and speaks a little lower, "Me and Boost here thought so too, but odd thing was...no ransom or demands appeared. Rex took his blasters, but left his helmet behind." Obi-Wan pulled up a chair, and took it all in, "Interesting...I do remember an order from Coruscant calling the 501st back, some time ago, said we had enough backup with my own regiment. But why Saleucami?"

"I don't know sir, all I know is that they received orders to aid in wiping out a holdout Sep outpost." Obi-Wan thought to himself, _Of course it wasn't simple, when was anything simple_ , Boost spoke up, "It just doesn't seem like Rex. I don't know him as well as you General, but he wouldn't run away from a fight. You know?"

Obi-Wan nodded, "I agree, it's not like him. But as I'm discovering, no one is who you think they are. I have a bad feeling about this Wolffe"

"You and me both sir"

Obi-Wan excused himself and left 79's, he walked out back and into an alley, the music muffled, Obi-Wan muttered to himself, "Saleucami..."

 _What in the force was on Saleucami_. Besides trees, scattered farmland and more trees.

Obi-Wan struggled to think back, one or two weeks ago. _Were we on Cato Nemoida?_ Obi-Wan reached further, both he and Anakin had been gone for months in the outer rim fighting separatists with the Open Circle Fleet. Obi-Wan decided that he and Anakin must have been out in the Savareen Sector, when they had tracked Grievous to the planet Nelvaan. It was shortly after that he remembered the 501st being called back, he remembered Anakin being furious with the order. He loved fighting with his men, Obi-Wan felt a little nostalgic for those days, travelling with Anakin across the Outer Rim. Although with the current events, he wondered how all these pieces would connect.

Walking down the alley towards his borrowed Eta-2, Obi-Wan got into his seat. "R4, plot a course to the Suolriep sector". Obi-Wan lamented the loss of his old R4 unit, and believed it a very competent droid, however his new R4-G9 astromech was perfectly acceptable. The astromech beeped away, and plotted a course towards a hyperspace docking ring above Coruscant, and then towards his destination.

Obi-Wan leaned back and got himself comfortable and brought up his records of his time on Saleucami. Obi-Wan made a noise of discovery, breaking the monotony of travelling through hyperspace. Speaking aloud to himself he shouted, "Yes of course!". Yes of course, Obi-Wan had forgotten that this was the planet where Captain Rex was badly injured and had to be left behind. Reading further, he read a report from Kix, the squad's medic.

 _Captain Rex (CT-7567) was badly injured due to a blaster shot to the manibrium, causing a small fracture to the 4th and 6th rib, and there appeared to be nerve damage causing his left arm to be partially paralyzed. I was able to mend him the best I could with a bacta patch, but the rest of the team agreed it would be best if the captain stayed behind at a farm we came across which seemed to be owned by a Twi'lek woman with two small children. We asked this woman if we may leave the captain behind, she was not pleased with our request but allowed the captain to remain behind. The rest of the squad continued onwards tracking General Grievous._

Obi-Wan broke from reading the report, he vaguely remembered being aware of this, why the connection to this and Rex stood out he was unsure, he felt a feeling through the force that it was important. What happened to Rex on this planet? He was still confused as to what could have possibly happened to cause captain Rex to abandon his men, and his post months later. Desertion wasn't unheard of during the Clone War, even among clones, but it was rare. Clones were trained from birth to be obedient, and if what Shaak Ti said was true...programmed, but he knew Rex. Rex was obedient, loyal, and a good friend, Obi-Wan thought to himself. What was it that Wolffe said, something about how Rex wasn't the same after Fives died, in his arms, he talked about not being a droid. Obi-Wan needed to know, what did Rex know and why did he leave his post, he had a feeling that it would be revealed soon. It would be a while yet until he reached the planet, so Obi-Wan relaxed, left the ship under the control of his astromech droid and fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Old Voice

Chapter Five:

Padmé paced back and forth, throwing clothes in a pile, to her it seemed she was forever packing and unpacking. Anakin was standing by the window near the bed, where he often liked to stand so he could look out towards the busy sky traffic and look at his fretting wife packing for Naboo, seeing her mind lost in thought he spoke,"Have you told anyone else, about you being...you know" gesturing to her growing belly.

Raising her hands in annoyance, "no...I'm surprised no one other than my handmaidens have noticed. Maybe no one wants to notice." Her voice was tinged with more annoyance than she wished it to be, but there was no helping it.

Anakin tilted his head slightly, "What are we going to do...after?"

"I don't know Ani, I've wanted to leave politics for sometime now. Retire back to Naboo like I wanted after being queen."

"You? Retire?" Anakin laughed

Padmé sighed, then put her hand on her hip, "I guess you're right, I don't know if I could go back and do...nothing forever." Her eyes wistfully looked up, "maybe a small local position in government, I'm sure Queen Apailana would agree to something."

Anakin walked over to rub his wife's back, and hugged her from behind. "It'll be nice to go back to Naboo, just you and me. I've thought about those nights after we married so often when I was out in the Outer Rim" Padmé put her head back, exhaling, "I've missed you so much. You, I've missed this, just you and me."

"Hey, I've never not been happy." Anakin said with his devilish grin.

Padmé frowned, "You know what I mean"

Anakin did know what she meant, soon after he arrived on Coruscant everything happened so fast that it was hard on everyone, and still he was plagued by doubts, but for now he had to be strong.

Padmé released herself from the embrace, and continued packing. "I have to tell Bail Organa, he is my closest friend. He would understand, and with the current senate being prorogued due to the Chancellor's...deception, he needs to know."

"Do you think Bail Organa would keep quiet about...us?" Padmé placed her hands on her temples slightly, "Yes, I trust him completely."

"I trust your judgment Padmé," Anakin replied

"I have no idea what the Trade Federation plans to do now. They've been very quiet lately, this is the kind of thing they would normally use to their advantage now."

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." Anakin lied, he thought it was odd too.

 _Where was the Trade federation, or the Muunilinst banking clans._

Even for a Jedi who cared little for politics was growing suspicious that there was more to the deception than just the dark side, or petty corruption. Padmé finally decided on a gown to wear to meet with her trusted confident, a deep blue gown with a large peach sash that she wrapped around her belly. "Do you want me to get Moteé?" Padmé waved Anakin away, "No, no I can do this myself." Anakin knew better than to argue with his wife. Especially now, now she was even more precious to him.

Anakin sat on the bed, touching some of Padmé's gowns, he always enjoyed the silky feeling they had, they reminded him of her skin, of everything soft and beautiful. Padmé turned towards Anakin, "Have you thought about the offer?" Anakin kicked his feet, much like a child would. "It's what you wanted isn't it? To be made a master?"

"It is, I just feel. I feel, I feel that it's just further appeasement."

"Does it matter?" She asked

"Of course it matters" Anakin said, slightly raising his voice, then tempering himself "Sorry, I just don't know how to take it."

Anakin stuck his hands in his pockets, and remembered that Ahsoka's beads were still in his pocket. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm still in the Jedi Order."

"I've thought the same about the Senate Anakin. It can be overwhelming sometimes, but other times..."

"I don't want to lose this, I don't want to let this chance go,"

Padmé smiled, "then don't. Take it."

Anakin groaned, "But I want to be a father, I want to be there, with you. I don't want to hide anymore."

Padmé took Anakin's hand, "Whichever way you decide, I will support you. You know that" Anakin placed his robotic hand on Padmé's clasped hand, "You make me feel like a better man," Anakin kissed her on her forehead, "have you already made the arrangements to go back to Naboo?"

"Yes, I've arranged for my staff and I to return in a few days" "Are you coming with me?"

Anakin looked at the floor, "I haven't decided..."

"Whatever you choose, I'll be there. You can meet me on the planet. I have to go now Anakin."

Anakin smiled, "Don't have to worry about me," looking at Padmé's things, "Unlike your ladyship, I travel light." Padmé slightly nudged Anakin and grabbed a data tablet, and left the room towards the Senatorial Apartments.

Anakin was then left with his thoughts, still troubling, loud and unrelenting. He made a loud noise of annoyance and stood up, walking out towards the veranda. Behind him he could already here Threepio fumbling towards him, his hands waving in the air, "Master Anakin! Is something bothering you. I know of over 1, 282 forms of relaxation therapy to aid you, I would be happy to-" "Just leave me alone Threepio, just...go away." He regretted the anger in his voice, but Threepio had a way with people.

"I never..." 3PO muttered as he shuffled away. Anakin took a seat on Padmé's beige couch, and threw the pillows off the seats and onto the floor.

Anakin could hear Obi-Wan's voice in his head, chastising him for his temper, _Patience, calm your mind_. Anakin grumbled, removed his boots, and tried to sit cross legged on the couch. He began to focus, he may be one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, but the force was something no one could ever hope to master, and impatience was the quickest path to never truly mastering it. Images slowly came in and out of focus like seeing an image through a tube. He tried to direct his mind to his current questions, but any time one tried to direct the force to bend to the user's will the faster it would deny you. His mind instead wandered to the first time he saw Padmé. He was still only a boy, a slave on a backwater planet far beyond the reach of the Republic. He rarely allowed himself to remember that boy, or that place, but this is what the force willed him to visit again. He saw her, as she was when she was still Queen, although unbeknownst to him at the time.

 _Are you an Angel?_

 _A what?_

 _An angel. I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They  
live on the Moons of Iego I think. They are the most beautiful creatures in  
the universe. They are good and kind, and so pretty they make even the most  
hardened spice pirate cry._

Anakin then saw their wedding on Naboo, a secret ceremony just them and the droids. Then Anakin's mind took a drastic turn, he pictured carrying his mother's lifeless body on Tatooine. Anakin willed the thought away, but instead he thought of his visions of Padmé dying in childbirth, crying out, Anakin tried to make the thought go away. Trying to tell himself that he did the right thing, that he was going to save her without the secrets of the dark side. Suddenly Anakin saw the face of Rush Clovis, Padmé's former _friend_. Quickly Anakin's mind filled with rage, and he balled his robotic hand into a fist.

 _What exactly are you saying? That other people who are married have everything that we don't, everything that we won't._

 _We live in secret, Anakin. Like it or not, our relationship is built on lies and deception. No relationship can survive that._

 _I know I went too far. It's just It's just something inside me snapped. I don't know who's in there sometimes._

 _I just know that I'm not happy anymore._

 _I don't feel safe._

 _I don't feel safe._ Padmé said those words months ago,

 _I put her in danger and I didn't trust her. These deceptions almost ended us both._

Anakin's thoughts were both ashamed and angry, he remembered looking into Rush Clovis' face as he realized he couldn't hold them both on the roof. So afraid to lose Padme, he would risk anything, but he almost lost her anyway. Over petty jealousy Anakin again allowed himself to be consumed by anger, and emotion, nothing he said to his wife was excusable. If it weren't for saving her life, Anakin feared he would no longer be here, with her about to become a father. He was afraid of that feeling, he was so close to doing whatever Palpatine would have asked of him, but inside he wondered if he destroyed everything, what would be left of him? Without thinking Anakin raised one of Padmé's blue bowls from Naboo with the force and smashed it against one of the pillars on the veranda. It smashed creating a terrible unmistakable sound against the ground. Anakin shouted as loud as he could, that it caused one of Padmé's handmaidens came running in to see what the matter was. Anakin spun around to look at the handmaiden, "Leave me!" he shouted as loudly and as aggressively as he could muster. Her eyes went wide in terror and ran quickly out of sight. Anakin fell back to the floor, staring at what his anger had wrought. Embarrassed that anyone had seen him behaving like a child, he told himself to apologize to her.

He picked up a shard of the bowl, resentful that he broke such a pretty thing, he thumbed over the blue glass, eyeing the small imperfections of the hand spun glass. A voice entered his mind that was not his own.

- _You still let your emotions guide you young one_ -.

Anakin spoke out loud to meet the voice. "Who is that?"

- _It is I, Qui Gon Jinn_ -.

"No, that's impossible, you were killed by Darth Maul." The pieces of the broken bowl began to float up and be put back together in front of Anakin.

- _I am part of the living force, Anakin_ -.

"Was it really you who spoke with Master Yoda?"

- _Yes Anakin, do you still believe you are the chosen one?_ "

Anakin thought on that line, "I don't know master, I am lost."

- _You are never lost Anakin, I am with you, I believe you will bring balance to the force_.-

"I don't understand how am I supposed to do that"

- _Look deeper. You will find another way_..-

Annoyed, Anakin replied, "I don't understand what that means."

- _Trust your instincts, choose your own path._ -

Anakin sighed, _ghosts were always so vague._

The pieces of the bowl fell back down to the floor, Anakin bent down to scoop the pieces to throw them away, instead he picked up a shard and rubbed his thumb over it, eyeing the tiny imperfections in the glass again. It reminded him of his teachings, that from far away much of the galaxy looked peaceful, it was only up close you saw the imperfections. Straightening out his back, Anakin pocketed the shard, and picked up his boots and walked out towards his ship and decided it was time to go to the Temple, thinking of Qui Gon Jinn's last words. He would choose his own path, he would no longer allow himself to be a slave. The boy from Tatooine, who Anakin had struggled to move past had finally moved on.


	6. Chapter 6: The Lost

Chapter Six:

Anakin parked his ship a little further away from the Temple so that he could take a leisurely stroll through the garden before entering, it was something he rarely had time for. Being from a desert planet he had a weakness for greenery, flowering shrubs and grass. He breathed in the faint scent of the flowering shrubs on the air, bringing back memories of the past to Anakin, smiling thinking of Naboo, and the perfumed air of Theed. Sauntering through the Temple grounds, Anakin chose to sit for a while, enjoying the rare breeze on Coruscant. Anakin sat near the younglings practicing their combat forms.

Anakin mused to himself that it wasn't too long ago he was out there outside practicing his forms, under the watchful eye of Obi-Wan. He could almost see himself practicing, he was always a little older than everyone else growing up in the Temple since he joined so late, he never got to learn under the tutelage of Master Yoda like everyone else . He sighed, and rubbing his knees, he wasn't an old master, but war was a quick way to feel decades older, he got up again and decided to pay a visit to the library, he wasn't sure what answers he was expecting to find, but he rarely ever did. But when one was confused, the library had a way of answering questions you didn't know needed answering.

Anakin wandered around the library, passing ancient holocrons and Jedi counsellors. He stopped in front of a bronze bust of Count Dooku, an immortalized depiction of the uncovered Darth Tyrannus, his cold and brutal stare forever staring into the abyss. From behind Anakin, Jocasta Nu walked up behind as she often did when there were Jedi Knights looking for answers. She began to speak, "Dooku was once a very dear friend of mine."

Anakin turned around and stood next to the bust, looking at Dooku's head and then to Jocasta, "Really?" Jocasta Nu nodded her head, "I know it may sound hard to believe but he was very kind and generous, a political idealist," Jocasta closed her eyes, seemingly thinking of better days. Anakin touched the bust, studying the face. "What happened to him?" Jocasta scrunched up her face, "A great many things I'm afraid, he was concerned about the Jedi being involved in so many affairs, the corruption in the senate." Anakin nodded, "Some things never change do they?"

Jocasta changed her gaze slightly, "Has anyone told you about these other busts?" Anakin shrugged, "I think some of them left the order, I'm not sure." Anakin was never a master of the past, he always had his head in the now. Jocasta rubbed her wrists, and moved towards the bust of an Umbaran, she began as an old teacher would, who had told the same tale to generations of learners, "This one here, left the Jedi Order and became Darth Ruin, the first dark lord of the Sith." Anakin nodded in acknowledgement, eyeing the bust intently, following Jocasta as she moved down to another bust a few down, of a female Twi'lek.

Anakin pointed, "So what's her story, another dark lord of the Sith?" Jocasta let out a guffaw, "No, this is Sha'ni Tinoursh, she left because she fell in love with a slave she rescued from Ryloth, and refused to break off the partnership." Jocasta let out a slight sigh, "An unfortunate event." Anakin evaded his gaze, not wishing to reveal his own feelings about the story to Jocasta, changing the stream of consciousness he pointed to another bust, "This one, who is this?" Jocasta put her hand over her mouth, thinking, "Ah, he believed that the Jedi should remain neutral at all times, he and other Jedi," she said gesturing to several other busts "left the order and left the system."

"What happened to them?"

Jocasta shrugged, "No one knows, the data has been lost, it happened well over 500 years ago"

"Why immortalize these Jedi if they left the order?"

Clasping her hands behind her, "To remember that we, the Jedi are not perfect. Some people must make their own way in life."

"Thank you Master Jocasta Nu, our talk has been very enlightening to me"

Jocasta nodded silently and went back to her work in the library. Anakin stood in front of the dozens of immortalized busts of these lost Jedi, studying their faces, he wondered if Bariss Offee would one day be immortalized here, how many others would have their faces in bronze.

 _Some people must make their own way in life._

Shifting his weight Anakin pinged his communicator for Mace Windu, "Master Windu, I have come to a decision."

"Understood Skywalker, I shall call for the council." Anakin leaned his head back, and shook his head, telling himself that this was for the best he continued towards the council chambers. In usual Anakin Skywalker fashion he was going to "wing it" as he often told Obi-Wan. It was a day both of dread and anticipation, he knew before him lay a fork in his path and only he knew his path led.

Standing in front of the great doors, he paused. He could feel the power that this room emanated, the spirits of all the people before him, and would be after him, how many times had he entered and exited this room, being given orders, being judged, being questioned, he felt uneasy entering this moment. Ignoring the feeling, Anakin swallowed and opened the door. Scanning the room, Anakin had forgotten how empty the council was after years of war, so many seats were empty, so many Jedi killed on the battlefield. He looked at the seat once occupied by Master Adi Gallia, now occupied by her sister. War had changed the order, and through it, it had changed the people in it. Anakin often rubbed against authority in his quest to get the job done, but with impending fatherhood quickly Anakin's thoughts strayed towards stability.

Master Yoda had finally returned from the front in Kashyyk since pushing back the last of the separatist forces to an early defeat without their droid commander General Grievous. Anakin made a note that Obi-Wan was strangely absent, he frowned looking at his empty seat, but he guess he had already been sent out on yet another errand. The Jedi masters had been speaking amongst themselves, but once Anakin walked into the room they became silent, all their eyes cast towards the chosen one. He stepped towards the centre of the room, the light beaming brightly inside causing Anakin to stop to allow his eyes to adjust.

Master Windu stood up, with a smile on his face. "Skywalker?" He seemed to bow his head, "Where is Master Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked, Master Windu looked towards Master Yoda, "We sent him on a mission involving the Chancellor's...prior activities. We have uncovered a conspiracy surrounding him and the clones. Again Anakin's thoughts were set a light,

 _Just how many conspiracies were we, and I blind to_

Anakin knew he shouldn't have felt offended that they sent their wisest Jedi to uncover these secrets, yet the words came out anyway, "And you didn't think to tell me?" Anakin asked.

Master Windu squinted his eyes, and raised his hands, "Skywalker we meant no offence, we thought to leave you to think on this great privilege."

Master Windu then stood waiting for Anakin to speak. Anakin cleared his throat, "I am very honoured that you have chosen to bestow me with the rank and privileges that come with being a Master," cutting off Master Windu before he could speak, "But I am afraid I cannot accept this. After meditating on this, I have decided that my path...does not continue here. I have chosen to leave the order. I have to sort this out on my own, without the Council." Anakin willed his body not to shake hearing these words come out from his own lips, his heart shouting to take the title.

Master Windu sat back down, his hand over his mouth unsure how to respond, "Are you sure this is what you want? Not many Jedi choose willingly to leave the order."

Anakin bowed, and began,"I understand, but I believe that I just cannot stay here and pretend that the Jedi did not contribute to this war, and weren't blind to corruption for hundreds of years in the Senate, in the order itself."

"Sure you are? Skywalker?" Yoda asked, "The commitment to the order not easily broken is it."

Anakin wasn't sure how to take Yoda's expression, it was a mixture of disappointment, and understanding, "Yes Master Yoda. I want to say just how honoured I am to have been trained by you and appreciative I have been for the experience." Anakin bowed, deciding it best to turn and leave. Master Plo stood up, his goggles were lowered in their own version of a frown, "Skywalker, before you go." Anakin stopped and bowed his head, "Yes, Master Plo?" Master Plo extended his hands, "If you see our little 'Soka, tell her how sorry I am, and that...she is often in my thoughts."

Anakin nodded, dropping Plo-Koon's hands turning towards the exit, consumed by emotions, Anakin walked quickly out of the chamber rooms, not wishing to answer more questions. He didn't see the flurry of glances amongst the Jedi Masters, a mixture of panic and confusion consumed them. The hero with no fear who had once battled the great Sith Lord Sidious and Tyrannus, who had defeated evil from one end of the galaxy to the other was now more frightened than he had ever been before. Being a Jedi was all Anakin had ever known since he was a slave on an Outer Rim planet, and now he had decided to walk away from it all.

Anakin, looking for the closest empty room he ducked into a darkened room used to show the younglings about the stars and planets of the Galaxy. He walked into the dark room, and allowed himself to be consumed by grief, he hadn't noticed a small boy about the age of 10 walk into the room, and he tugged on Anakin's robe. "Master Skywalker? What's wrong?"

Anakin lifting his head from his hands, turned to look at the voice, he saw a boy that reminding him of himself at that age, he had disheveled blond hair and was dressed similarly to the other younglings. "I'm sad, I made a very hard decision."

The little boy came closer, "Master Yoda often says the right decisions are often the hardest ones."

Anakin laughed, "That sounds like Master Yoda." Sniffling back tears, Anakin wiped his face, "Have you ever seen this map before?" pointing towards the holomap. The little boy nodded, "Do you want to look at the star map with me?" The little boy nodded again. Anakin picked up the boy and held him often like his mother did when he was small. Anakin activated the star map, and selected the Arkanis sector, "See this? This is the Arkanis sector," Shifting the boy's weight slightly Anakin continued, "and this here, is the Tatoo system. And I lived here" Anakin pointed at the first planet in the binary sun system.

"Tatooine". The little boy looked up at Anakin, 'Two suns? Must'a been hot."

Anakin chuckled, "Yeah, yeah it was pretty hot." Anakin then shifted the map to the Naboo system in the Chommell sector. "This here, " he said pointing to the planet of Naboo, "Is where I'm going now."

"For how long?" The boy asked

Anakin smiled, "A long time, long time." The boy kicked his legs, and Anakin put him down. Anakin ruffled his hair slightly, and looked towards the doorway. Master Yoda was standing in the doorway. "Off you go now." The little boy ran out the door, "Thanks Master Skywalker!".

A small chuckle came from Master Yoda, "The power of youth, healing it is."

Anakin began to explain himself "Master Yoda, I-"

"Speak not, Skywalker" Yoda said pointing his cane at Anakin, he slowly walked moving over towards a small seat in the room. Using the force he opened the heavy drapes and allowed the sun to beam in slightly. Sitting down he gestured to Anakin to sit. "Come, sit with me." Anakin bowed and took a seat.

"A similar talk with Dooku I had" Yoda pursed his lips slightly, "Worried I was about him."

Anakin chuckled, "Master, I am not Count Dooku."

"Know that I do." Yoda replied "Worried about you too I was"

"I'm sorry Master," Anakin bowed his head slightly.

"Brash, impulsive, aggressive. Almost dominated your destiny it did."

"Yes Master, I admit I was tempted by the dark side." Anakin said with a hint of detectable guilt.

"All Jedi, all tempted they are." Yoda nodded to himself, unable to sit still, "Tempted **I** was. Attached to the Jedi Order, I was, war darkened us all."

Anakin squinted his eyes slightly. "Even you Master?"

"When you look at the dark side, careful you must be. For the dark side looks back." Yoda added

Anakin thought to his visions of Padmé dying. Yoda spoke again, "Through the force, things you will see. Other places. The future." He said looking at Anakin, "Old friends, long gone..."

Anakin averted his eyes to Yoda, "I saw someone die in my visions, but now I am not sure of the future."

Yoda lowered his head in thought, "Hmm, difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."

"Master Yoda, I won't be talked out of my decision."

"Sure you are, I know. Some advice I have."

Anakin listened, "Yes Master?"

"Always pass on what you have learned. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the force. Mourn them do not." Yoda closed his eyes, "The force...is always with us. With or without the Jedi."

"Master Yoda, what of Masters Tiin, Fisto, and Kolar?"

Yoda made a noise in the back of his throat, "Mourn them we will. Tomorrow night."

Anakin looked away, still feeling a lingering guilt for their deaths. "Your fault it was not Skywalker." "Come to the rite, you will?"

Anakin nodded, "Yes, they gave their lives to their duty, it's the right thing."

Yoda nodded, and moved off the chair, putting his cane in front of him he began to walk towards the door. Anakin always forgot just how fragile Yoda seemed, his age slowly creeping up on him,, as Yoda reached the doorway he turned to Anakin one last time. "Qui Gon reached out to you as well, did he not?"

Anakin's eyes widened in shock, "How did you know about that?"

Yoda laughed, "The force is all around us Skywalker."

Anakin sat back into his chair, unsure how to take Master Yoda's last words. He decided to ping Obi-Wan, he let it ping for several minutes until he realized he wasn't going to pick up.

 _I need you Obi-Wan, I'm lost_

Anakin wondered where he was, he must be in hyperspace as it was the only thing he could think of as to why Obi-Wan wouldn't answer. He hated it when they were apart for too long, making an audible sigh Anakin stood up. He may longer be a Jedi, but the temple grounds were still his home. He walked down the familiar hallways towards his personal quarters. Although he had lived here for over a decade, the wallways, the floors and the sounds of the temple were now different. Maybe it was him that was different.

Not wanting to remain at the Temple, he walked out into the hallway to leave the grounds. Anakin wondered how Obi-Wan would react to the news, he might be relieved, but maybe disappointed. Anakin was a little angry that Obi-Wan wasn't here, wondering if he actually cared about his former padawan. Breathing out his nose, he decided to leave and go home and relax. A heavy weight had finally been removed, he would see off the deceased Masters, and then leave for Naboo. From the outside most believed Anakin Skywalker to be a fearless warrior, a hero with no fear. The truth was he was a man with many fears, fears that threatened to swallow him whole, if he allowed them to. This was new territory for the Jedi, and he was walking his own path now.


	7. Chapter 7: An Untold Future

Chapter Seven:

Grabbing her sash around herself, Padmé found it surprisingly chilly in Bail Organa's office. She blamed it on the fact that Alderaan was known for its arctic mountain tops and was colder than Naboo. A protocol droid approached the couch where Padmé was sitting, "Senator Organa should be here any moment Senator Amidala."

Thank you." Padmé replied. Bail Organa entered the room, a smile crept up on his face, "Padmé, I wasn't expecting you."

"No, especially with..."

Bail nodded, waving his hands, "Yes, certainly explains how Palpatine so easily circumvented our democracy." Bail pulled his reclining chair from his desk and sat in it casually. "I don't know much about the religion of the Jedi and even less about the Sith, but if you ask me, a person who reveres evil is hardly a good person."

Padme's eyes watered, scowling she wiped them away. She had more trouble than usual keeping her emotions to herself, a further thing to blame on pregnancy, but she was glad she was around friends to see her like this. "Doesn't say much about the senate that none of us suspected him. I trusted him as a child, he _used me_."

Bail's eyes softened, "Padmé, he used us all. Don't let it bother you."

Padmé sighed, "Except it does bother me. The senate has bothered me for years, with it's corruption, it's inability to think for itself without some Chancellor to tell it what to do. I can't do it anymore."

Bail organa furled his brow, and took a seat next to Padmé. "What are you saying Padmé?"

"I'm saying that perhaps it's time for me to take advantage of this extended governmental _vacation._ "

Bail laughed, "Yes, I've been thinking of spending time with my wife at home. She's been wanting to adopt a baby girl."

Padmé smiled, "You and Breha would be wonderful parents, there are certainly plenty of orphans these days." Bail nodded, picking up a small frame of his wife looking at it before putting it back down. "I know, this war has been terrible, and I can't help but feel that we've all been used to keep it going."

"I know we have. That's why I'm not coming back as a senator."

Bail's mouth gaped, "You're what?"

Padmé looked down to her belly, "I don't know if you're aware, but I've been thinking of retiring, now that I'm pregnant." Bail Organa shot a look to his assistant and guards, "Please, can you leave us for a moment?" The guards nodded, made a slight bow before exiting, closing the doors silently after.

Padmé continued, "I'm leaving for Naboo tonight." Bail noticed that she had a particular glow to her, he felt a bit silly not realizing it before.

Bail leapt out of his chair to hug Padmé tightly, "I'm so happy for you my friend."

"How in the galaxy did you manage to hide this? From me?"

Padmé put her hand on her cheek, "Deceptively large senatorial gowns"

Bail let out a belly laugh, "but...mind me for asking. Who is the father? Couldn't be Rush Clovis could it...I know you and him were close years ago when you were first a senator, before he-"

"No. No..."

Bail put his hand to his chin, his eyes turned up in thought. He made a click with his tongue, "Padmé, it couldn't be your close friend, the Jedi."

She made a shy smile, "We married in secret after we were both captured on Geonosis."

"So that's why you were never interested in those poor suitors who tried to catch your eye?"

"Well that, and they weren't my type." Padmé said with a grin.

Bail nodded his head in acknowledgment, "I see." "Well, -"

Padmé interrupted the thought, "I am retiring from the Senate, now with government being prorogued...I thought it the perfect time."

Bail walked up to the window, looking outside. "I'll be sad to see you go. The senate...just won't be the same."

Padmé struggled to get out of her chair, Bail turned to help her up, after taking his hand, "Bail, you'll be fine."

"I know I'll be fine. But still I worry."

"What about?" Padmé asked

"There hasn't been any noise from Viceroy Nute Gunray, Chairman San Hill, or anyone from the Trade Federation or Intergalactic Banking Clan. This is the kind of thing they normally would take advantage of..."

"Do you think they're connected?" Padmé asked

Bail emitted an audible exhale, "I don't know. We always knew they were lying about being connected to the Separatists. But this...silence?"

"I know, I don't know what to make of it." Padmé replied, she gestured with her hands to continue her thought, "You should have a meeting with the Loyalists, see what they think."

"Yes, I thought of that. Currently with so much confusion in the air many of them have left the Senate, 'vacations'."

Bail and Padmé both looked out towards the office window together, the traffic lessened from the lack of traffic to and from the Senate sector. "What has the Republic said about Palpatine?" Padmé asked

Bail shrugged, "That's the thing, they haven't responded yet. Holonews simply saying there was an accident in Palpatine's office."

Padmé sat back down, forgetting just how tiring her pregnancy was for her. "I feel like I shouldn't retire with all this happening."

Bail shook his head, taking Padmé's hand, "If you think that way, you won't retire until you die of old age."

Nodding her head in agreement, "I know, but I can't help but think that Palpatine was just the tip of whatever is happening." Bail grimly agreed, "I agree, but until something rears its ugly head there isn't much we can do. Or should do, I think this is more the job of the police and Jedi, we're just politicians after all."

"I have a feeling that the Jedi are not going to be very popular once the news comes out, the Senate will want blood."

Bail looked positively morose, "They certainly will, I don't know what I'll do about it."

Shrugging, Padmé tried to get out of her chair again. "I will be happy when I can get up without help again."

Laughing, Bail helped her up. "Have a transport to catch?" Bail asked

"Of course, I'm always on the move."

The two embraced, "Come visit me okay?" Padmé told Bail with a fake strictness that made Bail laugh again. "Of course m'lady."

Leaving the Alderaanian senatoral quarters she flagged Captain Panaka to ready her ship.

"Ready to depart Ma'am?" Captain Panaka aided Padmé up the ramp to her ship. "Yes, I believe I am. One final stop, I have forgotten something at home if we can make a stop."

Captain Panaka nodded. Padmé looked across the skyline at the sunset, she thought it was one of the most beautiful sunsets she had ever seen, and sat down in her seat.

Padmé entered her apartment from the lift and was quickly greeted by C3-PO, "Mistress Padmé, oh Mistress?"

With a sigh, "Yes Threepio?"

"Master Anakin is not here, shall I call for him?" Threepio asked

"No, please don't do that. Have there been any calls?"

"There was a call asking if you were pleased with your current provider to the holonet services. I don't the gentleman that we were more than pleased, but he-"

"Threepio, anyone important call?" Padmé asked tapping her foot impatiently

"I believe everyone is important" Threepio retorted

"Threepio, did anyone of great importance call for me?"

"No, no calls for you Padmé." Threepio said in his own defeated robotic way

"I'm just here to pick up a few things, can you look after the apartment for a few days before we send for you?"

"Of course Mistress, I would be more than happy for the honor to run your household. I never in my wildest dreams ever imagined my very own household...My own important mission..."

Padmé had already ignored Threepio as he went off about his latest mission from her. Walking towards the bedroom she noticed a pile of glittering glass by the pillar near the veranda, shimmering in the setting sun. Walking over she struggled to bend over to pick it up, cursing her own inability, her handmaiden, Moteé rushed behind her, "No, no Mistress let me do that for you." Padmé stood back and frowned, she recognized it was one of her blue bowls from Naboo. "What happened to it?" Moteé evaded her eyes, "It must have fallen, I don't know."

Giving a look of incredulity Padmé crossed her arms, "I just want to know what happened to the bowl and I know you all too much to know that you wouldn't lie about breaking a bowl." Moteé stopped what she was doing and wrung her hands, "It was," she took a great pause, "Skywalker, he was...angry, very angry." "I don't know why he was so angry, but he left soon after."

Padmé lifted her hand to her forehead and exhaled, "I know why. I just..." Padmé rolled her eyes and walked away, she knew her husband was troubled, especially since he returned. She hoped and wished to the Force that he would find peace.

Padmé scanned her bedroom and finally saw it, she grabbed the small plain wooden box and a smile crept over her face. She allowed herself a moment to sit on the edge of the bed and looked inside. Inside was the Japor Snippet that Anakin made years and years ago when he was the sweetest child she had ever met, his and her wedding bands. She picked up her band and put her ring on her finger.

 _Secrecy be damned now_ , she thought.

Padmé frowned when she thought of her broken bowl, concerned about the darker sides of Anakin she couldn't ignore any longer. Taking a deep breath she closed the box, and with it her thoughts. Standing up again she tucked the small box in her sash and stepped out.

Once she exited the lift, Captain Panaka took his hat tucked under his arm and placed it back on his head. "Have everything you needed ma'am?"

"Yes Captain, everything important. Let's leave this place and go home."

Turning her back on the Coruscant sunset, glinting off the glass and steel metropolis for the last time. Padmé walked onto her ship and left Coruscant, her old life and greeted with open arms the untold future.


	8. Chapter 8: Bad Feeling

Chapter Eight:

A faint beeping caused Obi-Wan's eyes to flutter. After a few moments of confusion Obi-Wan came to and realized that he had arrived at his location. Rubbing his neck and cursing his decision to travel to far in such a tiny ship he prepped for landing. He pulled up his information on Saluecami and decided to land near where Captain Rex was shot several months ago and attempt to retrace the steps of the 501st. He didn't know why following this seemingly unrelated mission was important, but the Force was guiding him, and Obi-Wan knew better than to ignore those feelings.

Obi-Wan's new R4 unit landed the ship very softly and earned a few points with Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan patted his new R4 unit, and then chided himself that he was becoming more attached to his droids. "I think Anakin is rubbing off on me R4." The astromech seemed to reply in a humorous tone, Obi-Wan shook the thought and looked back at the Medic Kix's report. "Hmm.." Obi-Wan rubbed his beard and took a look at his map, he made a note of several locations where the farm where Captain Rex stayed for several days might have been.

Noting that these locations were several klicks from his current location he decided to make his way to an outpost that wasn't too far away for a vehicle. Not wanting to be alone for the whole trip, he had his astromech follow him. "Let's see if you're as handy as Anakin's droid." The astromech shook side to side, "don't test me." Obi-Wan couldn't help but chastise himself to treating the droid as an organic being, but being alone made even the most stoic Jedi would start to anthropomorphize anything.

He could make out a faint sign of civilization on the horizon, taking out his binoculars to ensure he wasn't walking into a holdout Separatist camp he scanned the camp ahead. It appeared deserted, but he couldn't see any signs of struggle, just an abandoned camp. Something prickled at the back of his neck, but not seeing any other options Obi-Wan trudged ahead, "I have a bad feeling about this." R4 swiveled her head beeping in a way that sounded like agreement. Sighing, Obi-Wan decided to walk towards the abandoned camp, trap or not he needed a hover bike.

The tarps on several structures were left fluttering in the wind, the sandy ground had done a number of several of the bike Obi-Wan eyed. Straddling one of the bikes and not wanting to wait around for trouble, he attempted to start one up. Gripping the handles he found it made a horrible noise of sputtering and raspy breaths, "Oh that won't do at all."

He got off to bend down to see if sand had gotten inside somewhere, and while he was taking apart the bike he heard an alarming noise from R4. Turning around he came face to face with a small team of bounty hunters, all wearing masks, covering their identities. "Slowly turn around...don't make any sudden movements."

Obi-Wan went to grab his lightsaber, the tallest bounty hunter shot his blaster at Obi-Wan's feet "I said...no sudden movements...Jedi." The male bounty hunter put a particular stress on the word Jedi. Obi-Wan knew bounty hunter's were usually smart enough to not tangle with Jedi, unless they were particularly skilled, or spectacularly stupid.

"Gentlemen, there's no need for such behaviour." Obi-Wan began, hoping they were of the stupid variety.

"You're right, but thankfully there's no gentlemen here." The trio of bounty hunters laughed amongst themselves, "You'll hand over your weapon and droid and all your credits."

Obi-Wan eyed them over, already planning how he could disarm them quickly. He didn't want to assume that these bounty hunters were as stupid as they seemed, but he guess he could take them in a brawl. The shortest was only wearing some sort of sullustian leather, and appeared more skittish than the others.

"Alright, everybody just relax, no one has to get hurt here."

The tallest bounty hunter took a step forward, pointing his blaster at Obi-Wan, "I don't know, some of us might." Again a prickling feeling ran up Obi-Wan's spine telling him to duck, not wishing to argue with the Force he dove behind the bike.

As the tallest raised his weapon, blaster fire from the south shot and hit the bounty hunter in the shoulder. The other bounty hunters jumped and sprung behind cover, shouting in confusion.

"Where are the shots coming from!" The youngest bounty hunter screamed in a thickly accented Basic.

"I don't know, the south! It's gotta be someone with the Jedi!"

"I told you this was a mistake!"

"We're gonners now! Why did we listen to you!"

"Shut up!"

Obi-Wan sat with his back to the bike listening to the bounty hunters fight amongst themselves, but he too wondered who his mystery savior was. He wasn't aware of any friends on this planet, but whoever was shooting may just dislike bounty hunters. R4 screamed, trying to make sense of all the auditory information, "R4, can you tell me where the shots are coming from?" Obi-Wan read the readout, nodding and made a thumbs up gesture. The astromech, trained in humanoid body language made an affirmative noise.

More shots rang out, and pin pointing where the shots were coming from, from R4's readout, he raised his binoculars and scanned the ridge. He spotted a figure by a cliff ridge, he knew he had to get over there and find out what was happening. Reaching over the bike, Obi-Wan tried to clear out the rest of the sand from the hover bike. "Where do you think you're going Jedi!" The younger bounty hunter asked, hiding on his stomach with his hands over his head.

"The firing is coming from that ridge, I'd rather not stay here and either get robbed by you fine young bounty hunters or shot by that guy over there." Obi-Wan shouted over the firing, pointing to the south.

Suddenly there was panic on the young man's face, "Don't leave me here, I didn't want to rob you," he said while raising his hands up on his belly.

Obi-Wan pursed his lips, "You'll be fine, tend to your friend over there, and I'll find out what's happening." The bounty hunter nodded his head and crawled over to his friend with the blaster shot to the shoulder.

Finally Obi-Wan got the motor to sputter to life, keeping low to the ground he mounted the bike and took off for the cliff, his R4 unit attached beside. He found it odd that the shooting didn't follow Obi-Wan, _curious_ he thought to himself. He hid his bike behind some shrubbery and leaped to the cliff ledge, coming face to face with his attacker. The man was on his stomach, he rolled over to face Obi-Wan, he got onto his knees and pulled himself up to his feet, dusting his legs off. Obi-Wan's heart leapt. "Captain Rex?"

The man furled his brow, "No, I ain't Rex. But I am a clone." Obi-Wan now saw the differences in the face, this man's face had red hair, and different scars on the face, and some light lines around his eyes. "I wasn't expecting a rescue over there in that camp. How fortunate that you were there"

Rubbing the top of his head the clone spoke, "After the Seppies left, the scavengers showed up. Had to chase off a few of the vultures off my land already. I saw you walking into a trap so..."

Obi-Wan laughed, "Yes I thought as much" Obi-Wan dusted himself off and extended his hand for a handshake, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"General Kenobi, I thought it was you. Heard stories, but nothing like meeting you in the flesh. Lawquane, Cut Lawquane."

Obi-Wan crossed his arms, "I'm sorry that I don't recognize you"

Cut nodded, "Battle of Geonosis"

Obi-Wan just nodded, not wishing to push for information on the clone deserter.

"Surprised to see a clone deserter?"

Obi-Wan raised his brow, "No, I'm looking for one. Captain Rex, he left the 501st on a mission a few weeks ago. I want to know why."

Cut laughed out loud, "Mr. Follows the rules finally broke em. eh?" Obi-Wan cleared his throat, "I take it you know Rex?"

Cut shook his head, "Yeah, he showed up in need of a patch job. He and I learned a few things."

"So I gathered, he didn't mention that the farm was owned by a clone."

Cut laughed, "Yeah I suppose loyal ol' Rex would do that. Didn't want to sell me out to me and my wife."

"Wife?" Obi-Wan was intrigued at that, Cut replied back "yeah and kids."

Obi-Wan was a mixture of shock and in awe, "So..."

Cut rubs his head again, "Couple weeks back he shows back at my place ranting about the leadership in the senate is going to kill us all. Honestly thought he had cracked, sounded crazy."

"Where is he now?"

Cut squinted his eyes and eyed Obi-Wan up and down, "Follow me then."

Obi-Wan pointed over to the wreckage at the camp, "What about them?"

Cut raised an eyebrow, and picked up his rifle from its tripod, "Watch this."

Cut looked through the scope and shot at the camp, destroying the rest of the bikes, and the final shot at a barrel which exploded, setting a plume of ash into the sky. Obi-Wan picked up his binoculars and scanned the camp, he was little more relieved than he wanted to let on to Cut, but he saw the three bounty hunters limping out of the smoke. Cut laughed, and slung the rifle over his shoulder and mounted the bike, "They'll think twice about screwing with us eh General"

"Indeed"

Obi-Wan called down to his droid, and R4 used her rocket boosters to lift on to the cliff ridge, "You Jedi get attached to everything." "You could say that Cut." Obi-Wan let the statement linger on his mind, and mounted the bike and set off for the Lawquane farmstead.

It was a small metal trailer, Cut Lawquane had explained he had to rebuild the entire thing after an attack from a small army of Separatist droids. Obi-Wan also noticed scattered livestock, and bails of hay, it reminded him of his stint in the Agri Corps. He wanted to pry and ask Cut about which regiment he served in, or what had happened to him to cause him to abandon his men, but he thought against it. With the war coming to a close, no one knew what was going to happen, least of all the millions of clones serving the Republic. Especially if what Shaak'Ti and Fives were saying was true, would the senate agree to keeping a potential weapon around, alive or not? Obi-Wan shuddered to the thought of that. Obi-Wan sighed audibly, "Tired already Kenobi?" He was still too lost in thought to respond, besides an audible grunt. He was already unsure what he was going to report to the council, what would the senate do with the millions upon millions of clones once there was no war to fight? The very thought troubled Obi-Wan, more than seeing the creation of the clone army years earlier. He never believed it ethical to clone human lives to conscript them from birth to fight a war, fair or no he felt worse about their forced termination.

Obi-Wan could hear a ruckus and screaming from behind the front door, "Kids?".

Cut laughed, "Yeah, kids." Cut opened the door, and was greeted by hysterical screaming, "Dad! Daaaad!" He bent down to pick up two small Twi'Lek children. The small female turned to face Obi-Wan, "You have a beard, you look weird." Cut bounced her slightly, " Shaeeah? Is that nice?" She grumbled and looked down, "No..."

"Then what do you say?"

The girl grumbled again and mumbled, "Sorry sir."

Obi-Wan smiled, "You're right beards are weird, they're itchy." Which earned Obi-Wan a huge smile. The small Twi'lek boy butted in next, "I'm Jek!" "Yes good to meet you too Jek. I'm Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan offered his hand for a shake

The two children ran towards another man, climbing on him. Obi-Wan looked up to meet the man, who he almost didn't recognize out of uniform. "General Kenobi Sir."

"You're a sight for sore eyes Rex."

A young purple skinned Twi'lek woman popped her head into the living area, "What iz eet with you? Bringing straggly men like little lost puppies eh?" She asked inquisitorial way. Cut laughed, making a shrug with his shoulders, "Eh, I can't help it. Obi-Wan this is my wife Suu." Suu walked out of the kitchen and shook hands with Obi-Wan, "Charmed," Suu cocked her head, "I'm sure. A Jedi in the wastes, ha."

She gave a curt kiss to her husband, and put her hand on her hip and looked over, "Well you all may stay for dinner. I'm already feeding a small army." She turned back on her heel and headed towards the kitchen. The two children then looked back over to Obi-Wan, "A Jedi! For real!" Jek spoke up first, "Are you going to stay with us too, like uncle Rex?"

Obi-Wan turned to rex, "Uncle?"Rex just shrugged, "Don't ask me."

"Just for the night, I have to talk with Rex here."

Cut took the hint and scooped up his kids, "Let's go bother mom okay."

Rex began, "Sir-"

Obi-Wan silence him, "I'm not here to judge you, after all that's happened. I know you, and I know what happened with Fives, with Tup."

Rex motioned to sit down, and took a seat. "Did they say they found chips, in all our heads?" He motioned to a recent scar on his head. Obi-Wan nodded, "Yes Shaak'ti said they were inhibitor chips to lessen tendencies of aggression."

Rex pounded his fist on his knee, "Except that's a lie. They're something else, they don't inhibit, they control!"

Obi-Wan put his hand over his mouth, then let Rex speak.

"I thought Fives was just incoherent. But I know Fives, I knew there had to be something. So I went to Kamino."

"I claimed I was feeling fatigued, needed a scan, y'know? Found a clone I trusted, Booker, had him take a brain scan of me. Swore him to secrecy."

"You found the chip?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow

"Damn right I found it."  
"What did you do?"

"I removed the damn thing. I'm a good soldier, I follow orders, but I don't order them against my will." Rex angrily shouted

Obi-Wan leaned in, curious, "What happened after that?"

"I had a droid scan it, first it said it was irrelevant. I kept pressing, added in a few codes I'm not supposed to know, claimed it was Separatist property."

Obi-Wan's brow raised, "Interesting." Obi-Wan started to feel that the pieces of this large puzzle were slowly connecting.

Rex shook his head, "It gets weirder. They found a list of instructions and orders on it."

"Orders?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No matter our feelings, some voice activating an order would force us to comply. That's what happened with Tup, his bio chip was activated to execute an order to kill a jedi, or maybe it was a slip. I don't know." Obi-Wan noticed Rex beginning to become manic, he didn't know if it was Rex suffering without the inhibitor chip, or simply the natural response to realizing that a conspiracy was in fact the truth.

Obi-Wan leaned back, taking a deep breath. "Chancellor Palpatine revealed himself as a Sith. He had a Kaminoan communicator."

Rex's eyes went wide, rocking back and forth "Fives was right...he was right."

"What made you desert your own men Rex? Why didn't you bring this to Anakin, to me?"

Rex's head drooped, his back hunched, "I couldn't tell anyone, I couldn't risk ending up like Fives. We're loyal, we love the Republic, we're raised to support it."

"I'm not doubting your loyalty here Rex."

"I know Sir, I know. After I removed the chip, I felt...free. Free from the mission."

"I don't understand Rex."

"All us clones are born with this dream, the mission that never ends. I don't know how else to explain it, we all share this dream, we don't really talk about it, but I can't go back Sir, I just can't, we're not droids, we are men. We aren't some tool to use by the Republic, not against our will."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat, "Rex, if what you're saying is true, then all the clones, your men are in danger, they can still be used by anyone who knows the instructions. Who knows who else Palpatine had involved here."

Rex squirmed slightly in his seat, "When we were called away from General Skywalker to Saleucami, I couldn't put my finger on it but I knew something was wrong. As soon as I landed the Jedi who was supposed to lead the mission was missing. In fact no one knew who was supposed to be leading the mission."

Obi-Wan furled his brow, "That's odd, no message from Coruscant?"

"No, usually we get a message to sit tight and wait for orders, but they never came. So we did our mission, we marched, looked for camps. When we couldn't find any, we made camp for the night. I didn't think anything of it, until I woke up to someone in my tent."

"Who was in your tent?"

"A new recruit, fresh from Kamino, didn't even have a nickname yet. He had a crazed look in his eyes, like he was dead."

Squinting his eyes, Obi-Wan asked, "Dead how?"

"I don't know how to explain it sir, like those Geonosis parasites. He just kept repeating he had to follow orders. I asked, what orders, from who."

Rex continued his story, "He came at me with a shock prod, at first I thought he was sleepwalking, I hit him with my helmet. He kept coming after me, he grabbed my neck, " Rex showed Obi-Wan his neck, still deeply bruised where the other clone had strangled him. "He wouldn't stop, I managed to grab my blaster, I shot him. Then I ran, I just ran"

Obi-Wan nodded, "I don't blame you for that, no one would. It was self defense."

"I shouldn't have had to kill my own men, for something that wasn't their fault."

"I don't know how, but someone knew I knew something. And they wanted to wipe out the problem."

Obi-Wan still wasn't sated, "But why Saleucami?"

Rex shook his head, "I thought it was weird too, but they must have put it together that there was something I didn't add to my report here. If I was going to run away, this is one of the few places I know I could return to. One of the droids Cut and me fought must have uploaded something."

Obi-Wan exhaled, "Something is definitely rotten here, but if we let the Senate know...I can only assume the worst."

Rex nodded, "Say goodbye to all my brothers."

"Agreed, but if most of the clones still have the chip, and on them are chips with voice commands for Force knows what, that's a large weapon that could be commanded against anyone."

A chill surrounded Rex and Obi-Wan, both now heavily burdened with the truth.

"Can the Republic be saved. Can it, can we come back from this?" Obi-Wan asked. Everyone in the room was silent and looked down. Obi-Wan quickly lamented that Anakin wasn't with him, he often cursed his emotional outbursts and anger, but he knew how to inspire, and he could use his quick thinking. Diplomacy wasn't going to solve this betrayal that had happened to Rex. He was also worried about how much was hidden from him from the Order itself.

Cut poking his head in, "No one is going to decide anything on an empty stomach. Wash up and eat. We can all sleep on it."


	9. Chapter 9 : Final Words

Anakin opened his eyes to a setting sun, he had slept the whole day away, he rolled over in bed half expecting his wife to be in the bed with him. Sighing he rolled back over onto his back awash in an orange glow. He was still half asleep and had dreamt about his former Padawan. He could see her smile, her lekku bouncing when she fought. He always chided her about her form, but she was insistent that it worked. A smile crept up on Anakin's face, he also thought about arriving at Naboo. He was giddy with excitement, he almost had forgotten he had planned on attending the funeral of the former members of the Jedi high council.

With that Anakin spun his legs over the bed and walked out to the veranda. Most of the furniture was already gone, and all of Padmé's staff minus 3PO were gone. He stood akimbo, facing the setting sun, he combed his fingers through his hair. He walked back to the bedroom to get dressed, frowning he realized that other than his Jedi attire he had no other clothing. He didn't feel comfortable sending 3PO out to buy him clothing, he decided to wear his robe. It felt slightly different, but he didn't know how else to dress. He reminded himself that Jedi or not many people in the Outer Rim wore similar outfits, that no one else other than the council knew he was no longer a part of the order.

Dressed, Anakin decided to walk out to the lift. "Master Anakin!"

"Yes 3PO?"

"Are you leaving? I don't wish to be forgotten here."

"I could never forget you, I'll be back, and then you'll come with me to Naboo."

"Oh excellent. I don't wish to be a bother,"

Anakin sighed, "You aren't a bother, just...you know."

3PO stood lightly back, bowed and saw Anakin out the door.

Anakin got into his ship parked nearby on the ground and flew towards the Temple. He wasn't ready or prepared to see more of his brethren cremated, but he felt it was the right thing to do. Taking a deep breath he got into his ship, "R2, let's go."

Night had already fallen on the sector, and the Temple was already light up. Anakin hadn't truly seen the magnificence of the Temple, not since he saw it as a boy. But tonight, he truly saw the Temple, it was overwhelming. Anakin felt a great sorrow inside of his chest, not wishing to think about his choice, he focused on piloting his ship down towards the Temple grounds. "Okay R2, let's just get this over with. You stay with the ship." R2 made a series of beeps. "I know, I won't be too long this time." R2 made a sad sounding woo sound. Anakin was convinced droids had emotions but that had often gotten him a few weird glances from the other Jedi. He shrugged and walked towards the Temple.

The Jedi Council Guards didn't even give Anakin a second glance, moving past them he walked down to the lower levels where he imagined the funerary rites for Masters Fisto, Tiin, and Kolar. _I hope I didn't miss it_ , Anakin thought to himself. Instead he heard chanting, so he followed the sound. "Skywalker, made it, you have." Yoda hobbled on his cane over towards Anakin. He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room turn to look at him. "Focus not, on the room around you."

"I'm sorry Master Yoda, I don't know if I should be here at all."

"Hmm, did you not care about these Masters, hmm?"

"Of course I care Master, I-"

"Then sit, hmm!"

Anakin smirked and knew better than to argue with Master Yoda, he was saddened slightly to see just how frail he was looking now. The Clone Wars were not kind to the Jedi, and Yoda seemed to have taken the brunt of the emotional toll. Anakin sat on a stone bar, next to Master Plo Koon, who nodded his head. Master Yoda behind him, sat next to Anakin.

There he could see Masters Tiin, Fisto, and Kolar revealed on top of three pyres. The Jedi behind had stopped chanting and bearing torches and oil walked out to the front. They anointed the bodies in oil. and set the pyre alight. The confusion and sorrow Anakin felt reminded him of Qui Gon Jinn's funeral, after just losing him and his mother, and finding out Padmé was actually the Queen of Naboo. The fire flickering was so bright Anakin had to close his eyes, allowing a single tear down his cheek. He let himself one tear. He could feel the warmth of the fire on his face, it was almost too hot. _It's all so real now_. The Jedi silently watched as the Masters burned, until the fire burnt out to embers.

Anakin turned to exit after the fire had burned out when he felt a slight tug at his robe. Master Yoda motioned to Anakin to follow him, "Come, follow me you must, Skywalker." Yoda climbed into a small hovering disk and led Anakin up the stairs to a small quiet room. Yoda made his way to a seat and waved to light the room.

"Master Yoda, what is it?"

Yoda closed his eyes, "All around us, the force is."

Anakin blew a stray strand of hair out of his eyes, "Yes Master, I know all this."

"Hmm? Do you. Tell me, never ignored the force have you?"

Anakin thought of his own hubris, often ignoring the spiritual at the disadvantage of brute force. "Okay Master, tell me, why bring me here?"

"Spoke to you Qui Gon Jinn did."

Anakin took a seat next to Yoda, "Yes, he spoke to me about my destiny, about my path."

"But Yoda, how is it all possible? I thought that when you die your spirit loses all connection to its former self?"

"A learned man, Qui Gon was. Contains 1000s of old Jedi teachings, the datacrons do, many lost forever."

"Are you saying Qui Gon found them? He found the secret to retaining one's spirit after death?"

Yoda closed his eyes again, thinking on it, "Immortality, similar yes. Unfinished Qui Gon was."

"Unfinished...what do you mean?"

"Spoke to me again, Qui Gon did. Claims to have found how to retain one's form."

Anakin's eyes widened, he couldn't believe it. He dug his heels into the floor, thinking of the talk he had with Palpatine in the Opera hall.

 _Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life ... He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying._

Anakin swallowed, "the Chancellor- Palpatine spoke to me at the Coruscant-Galaxies Opera House, he mentioned that Darth Plagueis could use the force to create life, keep people from dying."

Yoda made a subtle grimace, "Escape from death, no man is." He stretched his legs, "Retaining form in the force, ultimate goal of the Sith. Yet they can never attain it."

"Why would the Sith want to retain themselves after death?"

"Continue to influence, their dark deeds throughout history they would.". Yoda wiggled his ears slightly, "Release of self, compassion, not greed," Yoda cleared his throat, "Love. Answer to the darkness, love is."

Anakin looked over Yoda out towards the darkness outside to the grounds, "So it is possible to...live forever in a way."

Shifting slightly in his chair, Anakin asked again, "Where is Obi-Wan?"

Yoda shifted his weight, "Your former Captain Rex, sent to track him down he was"

"Rex? Why, what happened? Is he okay?" Anakin's mind raced, _Why didn't I know, why was I not aware of my own regiment._

"Know much I do not. Must ask Obi-Wan, when he returns."

Anakin sunk into his chair, "Why did he leave without telling me."

"Not wanting to bother you. He did, concerned he was."

Anakin rolled his eyes, but he knew Master Yoda was right. Anakin slumped back into the chair and looked up at the ceiling.

"Regret do you? Leaving the Jedi Order?"

"No, maybe. I just know I have to."

"Leave the Order you may, always a Jedi you will be."

Anakin raised an eyebrow, he stood up to bow, remembering he had somewhere to be, "Master Yoda, I should leave now. I will always appreciate everything you have ever taught me, but it's time I go out on my own now."

Yoda gave Anakin a very serious look, and grabbed his sleeve, "Remember the power of the dark side, seductive it is. Compassion, release of self, and love, Qui Gon told me. Secret of immortality he said."

Anakin bowed, "I will remember. Thank you Master Yoda, may the force be with you."

"Also with you Anakin Skywalker"

Anakin arranged a flight off Coruscant from a mechanic on the lower level of the city that owed Anakin a favour. "I shall miss Coruscant Master Anakin. Aren't you?" C3PO asked Anakin as they stepped onto the shuttle. Anakin scanned the buildings, looking up to the sky, he could still just barely see Palpatine's office from this location, the glass finally being replaced. "No, not at all."

Anakin piloted the shuttle above the upper level and set off towards the stratosphere, squinting before activating the sunshields he could see that the sun was just rising over the Temple. He had never felt such a mixture of longing and liberation. He shifted his gaze to the abyss of space, and entered the Naboo Sector. R2 made a series of "woo" noises, Anakin recognized the tone. "Yes, we're going back to Naboo." _It had been too long._


	10. Chapter 10: Strange Dreams

Chapter Ten:

Obi-Wan bent down grabbing a handful of soil, letting it drop down below, letting it catch into the breeze. Eying some of the curious tracks last night circling around the farm from the night before. The freshest tracks had come closer, they weren't animal tracks, they looked humanoid, but the indents from how most humanoids shift their weight were wrong. Rubbing his chin he turned to Rex who was just behind him scanning the horizon.

"Droids, it has to be." Obi-Wan said matter of factly

"I agree sir, they're definitely tracking us. Rather, they're tracking me."

"Question is Rex, why haven't they attacked?"

Scratching his scalp, Rex looked agitated, "I have a bad feeling about this"

Obi-Wan nodded in the affirmative, he too had a similar feeling. "If this the separatists, this isn't their style."

Rex agreed, "I don't like it, clankers being stealthy like it, rubs me the wrong way"

Obi-Wan nodded in the affirmative, "nothing good will come out this, but we can't stay around and wait to see who is spying on us."

Obi-Wan walked over to a large rock, sitting on it and squinting his eyes at the rising sun. "You must have some reason as to why you're being followed."

"They're tracking us, I can't make out why they haven't attacked up yet."

"I think I know why," Rex said under his breath.

After a short pause, Rex started, "The reason I left the 501st wasn't just because of Fives. After I removed my chip, I think I must've triggered some sort of investigation."

"I thought you were careful Rex?" Obi-Wan asked.

A humourless snigger emanated from Rex's mouth, "Yeah, well I thought I was careful too."

"General Skywalker got a message from Admiral Yularen saying that he had to leave immediately to attend a matter in another sector, or something. I couldn't make it out."

"Who replaced Anakin?"

"That's the thing Sir, no one did." Rex replied.

Obi-Wan made a puzzled look, unsure as to how to reply.

"That's what we all thought too, but we figured our army is stretched real thin, and the Jedi, even thinner. It was a simple job, find any remaining separatist holdouts and remove them."

Rex bent down to grab a handful of sandy earth and rolled it around his hand and watched it fall through his fingers. "But something was wrong. I should have known, or if I were a Jedi, sense it."

Obi-Wan crossed his arms, and looked over at the horizon, thinking.

 _There's a lot of things we should have sensed Rex_.

He thought that removing the Sith Lord that Count Dooku had warned of years ago, along with the mechanical general Grievous would alleviate the darkness surrounding the galaxy, but watching the former Captain of the 501st pacing around madly made Obi-Wan doubt that their troubles were over.

"It was sunset, we all decided to make camp. We hadn't found any Seppies, so I got to sleep pretty quickly. But I kept hearing rustling so I grabbed my blasters. I tell you, I'm lucky I did."

Rex closed his eyes, Obi-Wan could sense that Rex was in great pain thinking about that night. "It was Jesse. He had a...dead look in his eyes. I can't explain it. Damnit, the fact that MY men could be used against me."

"Rex, what do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked Rex.

"Someone, activated the biochip in Jesse's head to attack me."

Looking visibly stunned, Obi-Wan dropped his arms, his mouth agape, "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. He had tried to slit my throat while I slept like a...like a."

"Rex it wasn't his fault," Obi-Wan took Rex's shoulder firmly.

"I know Sir. It's just...why did it have to be my own men?"

Rex sat on the ground, staring at the sky. "I guess then they've sent someone else to finish the job. I couldn't kill Jesse, I couldn't. I ran, I just ran away, like a coward."

Obi-Wan knelt down on his knees and turned Rex to face him, "You are not a coward Rex. A coward wouldn't have accepted the risk to free yourself, and a coward wouldn't have refused to harm his comrade if he didn't have to."

"What I don't understand, is if Palpatine, Dooku and Grievous are dead, who is ordering these men to track you Rex?"

Rex shook his head, "I don't know Sir."

"Come on, let's go in." Obi-Wan gestured to the door.

"Are you sure you have to go?" Cut asked as he handed over a small bundle of wrapped food from the kitchen. Rex sighed and picked up a rucksack, "I really don't want to put you all in danger, again" Jek and Shaeeah ran from the kitchen into Rex's arms.

"Are you leaving us now?" Jeg asked.

Bending down towards the children's level Rex looked at the two, "Yep, I got an important mission now."

Shaeeah frowned, "Are you leaving for...forever?" Rex looked into her eyes, "Not forever, but a long time." Rex stood up straight, and arched his back. "Ready Sir?"

Obi-Wan nodded, "Thank you both for your hospitality, it was greatly appreciated"

"Anything for friends of mine, right Suu?" Cut smiled, and crossed his arms

"Right," Suu, then softening her face, walked to hug Rex, "take care of yourself Rex, don't trust anyone."

"Thanks Suu,"

"And Obi-Wan?"

"Yes?"

Suu looked into Obi-Wan's eyes with one hand on her waist, "Things are going to get worse before they get better, be prepared."

Obi-Wan nodded, "Trust me, I know."

Cut grabbed Rex's arm before he turned to leave, "We may not be part of the same legion, but we're brothers me and you. If you ever need me, I have your back."

"I know." Rex closed his eyes before exhaling, "I know you do. But I can't put your wife and kids in harm's way."

Cut smiled with a deep sadness and saw the two off on their way.

Obi-Wan waved goodbye to the homestead, and headed off towards town. "R4, I need you to contact a friend."

Obi-Wan looked at Rex, "Contact Hondo"

"Sir?" A serious panic spread over Rex's face/

"Well we can't contact the Republic fleet now can we?"

A nervous look was shared between the both of them, as they set off on the hoverbike. Rex may have fought several battles, faced monsters that children only dare dream of in nightmares, but Hondo still rubbed him the wrong way.

It was a short trip on the hoverbike to Obi-Wan's Eta-2. Rex was still skeptical, "Hondo Sir?"

Obi-Wan sighed, "I'm sure Hondo would find all this terribly funny, but we need a way off this planet and without alerting the Republic. We don't know who could possibly still be behind all this."

"Agreed Sir, but Hondo?" Obi-Wan laughed and put his hand on his hip, "I know, but he's all we got right now."

A quick ping alerted the two towards the communicator, and Hondo appeared through the Eta-2's communicator, hands on his waist, he moved to move his goggled off his eyes, "Obi-Wan Kenobi! What a surprise. You know what I said to myself this morning?"

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and sighed, "No, what did you think this morning."

"Ah ha! I haven't seen my Jedi friends in so long and now! Here you are." His eyes scanned the area, "Where is your friend, Skywalker?

"Couldn't make it."

"Aaah, that's too bad." Hondo pouted,

"Indeed, Hondo, we need a lift and we need it to stay quiet."

Hondo put his weight on one leg, and cocked his head slightly, "Oh...what is this? You? You in trouble now Kenobi?"

"Something like that," waving the thought.

Hondo put his hands behind his back and rolled onto his tip toes, "very well, you owe me Kenobi."

"Agreed." Obi-Wan was no fan of being in debt, especially to a pirate like Hondo, but after years of being the Padawan to such a rogue like Qui-Gon Jinn and Master to a Padawan like Anakin...Obi-Wan certainly had a wide variety of _eclectic_ friends.

Hondo was much faster to arrive than either Obi-Wan or Rex expected and soon Hondo's saucer shaped craft let down its landing ramp, and on the top was Hondo, standing akimbo. He shouted down to Obi-Wan, "Hondo's come to save the great General Kenobi!"

Obi-Wan mumbled something inaudible under his breath that Rex almost caught, "Sir?"

Rolling his eyes, Obi-Wan replied, "Forget it Rex, our ride is here."

After putting the Eta 2 in the cargo hold of the frigate, Obi-Wan turned to Hondo. "I do appreciate this Hondo, you'll get your reward when we land." Hondo guffawed and loudly slapped Obi-Wan on the back, "Anything for friends right Kenobi? Who's the sour face? Aah, you're a clone. I should have known, the similarity is uncanny."

Rex clenched his teeth, "Rex, my name is Rex."

"Of course you are, Rex," Hondo replied.

Obi-Wan gestured to the doorway, and let Hondo lead them out of the hold into the command area. "So tell me Kenobi, why the secrecy. Tell your old friend Hondo."

Obi-Wan thought of many deceptions he could tell Hondo that could be true from a certain point of view. But instead he thought on it, and decided to take a page out of Count Dooku's book and simply tell Hondo the truth.

"Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, Palpatine was a Sith lord who had corrupted the senate, who I believe was behind the creation of the Clones, and installed biochips in order to control them against their will. Rex here removed his and we believe has been targeted for assassination by someone who must have worked for Palpatine."

Hondo's eyes widened, "So...busy then?"

"From a certain point of view, yes."

It was rare for Hondo to be speechless so he instead led them into a large common room.

Hondo took a seat at a circular table, surrounded by well worn chairs that were probably soaked in a Corellian Ale or two. Both Obi-Wan and Rex took note that Hondo's crew was giving them a wide berth, whispering amongst themselves. Hondo gestured for them to sit, which they did, and he snapped his fingers, "What does it take to get some service around here?" Quickly a Weequay woman came by with a tray with cups and some sort of wine. "Drink?"

Obi-Wan and Rex shared a glance, Hondo spoke again, "No hard feelings that I tried to poison you last time right?" Obi-Wan and Rex both rolled their eyes in unison and downed their cups of wine in a single gulp. "Ahh, there you go," Hondo replied. Rex kept looking around the room at the Weequay crew, "They aren't used to seeing Jango's old face walking around, you see." Hondo said to Rex. "I'm not really used to it myself. He and I were, how you say...friends." Hondo turned in his seat towards Obi-Wan, "Things are going to get bad my friend. I can feel it, my crew can feel it. I'm sure you can to. I know you and I have had our differences..."

"Like when you boarded a ship of Jedi Younglings and attempted to steal their Kyber crystals and kidnapped Ahsoka?"

Hondo gave his ubiquitous laugh, "Yes, you know how it is. One day you're friends, the next," his voice became deeper and almost sad, "the next, you're not."

Rubbing his forehead, "Where is Ahsoka, I haven't seen her in a long time"

Obi-Wan paused, and reflected on how to answer, "She...left the order."

Hondo nodded his head, "That's too bad, too bad. She...had spirit."

"Yeah, yeah she did."

Obi-Wan found it curious that even a pirate like Hondo must have noticed the oncoming darkness engulfing the galaxy. He supposed that Sith Lords must be a dampener for profit, but there was something deeper behind Hondo's eyes, something sad. He didn't have time to pry, nor did he figure it was his business and he was getting tired. He hadn't slept well on Saleucami, or on his Eta-2, Obi-Wan stood up, his head slightly dizzy with drink. "I need, to lie down." Hondo gestured to a pod just off to port where he could close the door and sleep. "Sleep Kenobi, you'll need it."

Obi-Wan laid his head down to rest his eyes, being more tired than he believed he quickly slumbered. His mind drifted off to a darker place, filled with colours of the setting sun, oranges, and reds. He began to become restless and in his dreams he heard sounds of fighting, and could smell a repugnant smell of sulphur. Obi-Wan grimaced in his sleep and slowly the sounds became clearer.

 _You were the chosen one! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. You were to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness._

 _I hate you!_

 _You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you._

Obi-Wan's eyes flew open, his hair wet with sweat. Unsure of how long he had fallen asleep he raced out of the room. He needed to get planetside as soon as possible. He just had a bad feeling, and he couldn't shake it.


	11. Chapter 11 : Inside the Heart

Chapter Eleven:

Anakin watched as Padmé's chest went up and down with the rhythm of her sleeping. She was so tired lately and it worried him, it worried him to feel so powerless. Anytime she looked at him he smiled, but inside he wasn't sure some hidden darkness remained in his heart it kept hissing doubt into his ear.

 _Did I make the right choice? Did I doom her to death?_

He moved to her bedside, combing her hair softly and kissed her cheek, and then turned to his droid, "Artoo, keep an eye on her okay?" The droid chirped in acknowledgment, his head swiveling.

Anakin arrived only a few days after Padmé, they had decided to stay at the lake house in Naboo, like she always wanted. Anakin was prepared for an awkward conversation with Ruwee and Jobal about the pregnancy, or the marriage, but there never was, they simply acknowledged it and welcomed him into their home and their family. Like he was always meant to be there, acceptance never came easy to Anakin, but for the first time since he was a boy he wasn't the chosen one, or The Hero with No Fear, or a Jedi, he was simply a man who was going to be a father. He loved it here, on Coruscant the Force was strong, but constantly buzzed around like an insect, everything about the planet was a distraction, or an illusion. Here, he decided, here everything was better. The air was perfumed from the blooms of hundreds of flowers, the colour a wide palette, more various than Padmé's wardrobe.

He told Padmé that he decided to leave the order, that he could never leave her. Anakin remarked on how sad she looked at the news, but she understood that there was no perfect choice, but at least they didn't have to hide anymore. Anakin had taken to wearing his wedding band in public, and he looked down at his hand, turning the band on his hand, which had now been on his hand for over a month now. He was more happy than he had ever been, and it would be any day now until he would be welcoming his own family into the world, and any time that hissing voice would enter his ears he would crush it until it silenced itself. They still hadn't discussed names, and Padmé didn't want to know the sex of the child yet. "I want it to be a surprise Ani!" She would often say, Anakin suspected she was carrying a son, and he mused on calling him after his former master Qui-Gon.

He made himself a cup of caf not wishing to bother Padmé's many handmaidens that he never really wanted to admit that he couldn't really tell them all apart. Sitting at a table near a large open balcony he laughed to himself how quickly he had settled into domesticity, it wasn't much different to being a Jedi he figured. He was already used to waking up very early, which left him time to drink caf, and think on his life. After months of being at war, he never wanted to take these silent moments for granted. The air was warm, but not unbearably so, a few children's toys were in the corner of the kitchen, given to the Naberrie family as gifts as soon as people found their favourite senator was expecting. Everyone loved Padmé, and she loved her people. Anakin walked over to pick up a stuffed Shaak, it was fuzzy and plump. Anakin smiled and moved the plushed animal to his face and rubbed it slightly over his cheek, remembering when Padmé and he first came to Naboo together. He put the toy back down, "I remember when Padmé was born, Ruwee couldn't sleep all he did was drink caf and pace around." Anakin turned to greet Padmé's personal nurse, an older woman named Winama Typho. "I didn't see you there, I was just..."

"Pacing and drinking caf?"

Anakin let loose some laughter, "yeah I suppose I am."

She put her hand on Anakin's shoulder, "Padmé will be fine, trust me. She's stronger than you think."

"I think she's stronger than me, I don't know how she does it." Anakin stated

"Training, practice...I suppose she gets that from her mother."

Anakin looked down at the floor, and stared at his muddled reflection in the shining material in the floor. He took another sip from his cup and placed it on the counter, "I should go."

Winama bowed, "Of course."

Anakin turned to walk out, but he turned around to face Winama, "Thanks, I needed this chat."

She turned her head, cradling it with her shoulder, her eyes giving a slight twinkle, "I know, you aren't the first father I've seen pacing around the kitchen."

Anakin gave a smile and a curt nod.

Anakin popped down to the ground floor of the house and put on an orange suit made of a sturdy fabric covered in oil stains, trading one uniform for another, Anakin inspected his jumpsuit for any tears. He had started his own business fixing up droids and ships and had become quite well known in the community for being able to fix anything. He once hated his life being a slave on Tatooine, but as a Jedi, sometimes he missed it more than anything, the simplicity of just fixing a droid. Life was much simpler when you were fixing things.

It was Padmé's idea, "You'll go stir crazy just staying here doing nothing. You can't go from being a Jedi Knight flying about the Outer Rim and Wild Space and then come to Varykino and do nothing." He knew she was right, but he insisted he had no marketable skills, but that led to his wife giving her famous eye-roll. He opened a small warehouse and spoke to some of the townspeople about his idea. Quickly people warmed to it, him being the husband of Senator Amidala certainly helped. He already had several ships that needed maintenance and a cart of droids of various designations that required everything from an oil bath, to a full rewiring. Sometimes he missed the excitement of being a Jedi, but for now, this life was all he needed.

Anakin pinged his communicator for a final time to Artoo, "Artoo, I mean it, if anything happens to Padmé, contact me immediately." Artoo chirped back, "Ok, or it's the garbage heap for you." Anakin mounted a speeder, and buckled a helmet over his head, and head down the hill towards his garage.

He still wasn't used to the greenery of Naboo, it was such a shock from living on Tatooine to living on Coruscant for years. Every time he looked, the greenery, and the sky went on forever, it was as lush and beautiful as Padmé, Anakin mused. He still hadn't been able to sleep lately, but now it was due to nerves of being a first time father, and not due to terrible dreams of Padmé dying. Anakin was starting to wonder why the nightmares stopped after he had killed Palpatine. Or if the two were connected.

 _Was he to blame for the nightmares?_ _Was that possible?_

There was so much he didn't know, so much he let happen. Anakin squeezed the handles of his speeder, he could hear a teaching from Obi-Wan from when he was still a very young Padawan; _let your anger go Anakin, it only betrays you_. He was often a slave to his emotions, or to duty. For some reason he thought of the pilot he met as a child on Tatooine who once told him that what you're born as, isn't always what you'll die as. He promised himself he would never be a slave again, and for once be free to do as he wanted.

Anakin kept his eyes on the garage ahead of him, slowing he speeder to a stop he looked at his warehouse, and he knew that he was truly free. He parked his speeder and went inside. He waved his hand and the lighting activated revealing his small shop, and his latest project. A Firespray-class interceptor was in dire need of repair, and he was still waiting on a few replacement parts for the F-31 drive engines which should have arrived by now. Still, Anakin mused to himself, he could still fix the tractor beam projector and grabbed a hydrospanner. He just needed to fix something, and be useful.

He was underneath the ship, completely lost in thought. His mind more on autopilot fixing the projector, it was a simple job so his mind kept moving towards being a father. He never had a father growing up, not that it was odd as a slave, most times families were separated from each other. But he knew the circumstances surrounding his birth were odd. How could he be a good father if he never knew one. Anakin at that moment wished he could have known Qui-Gon longer than a few days before he died. As a child he stared at the rare holo-vid of Jedi fighting, or just appearing behind some Republic dignitary. They were the heroes of all the holo-vid movies, and the heroes in his dreams who came to save all the slaves. When he first met Qui-Gon he believed with all his heart that no one could ever best a Jedi, he quickly learned and kept learning that it wasn't true. Jedi were not all powerful, or incapable of being corrupt or weak. He himself had been weak. Would he be a father like Qui-Gon, wise and flexible, or more like Obi-Wan, the Jedi who was thrust into responsibility and raised Anakin? He didn't know, but he reminded himself that as long as he loved his child and took care of him, all the rest would fall into place. Or so he hoped.

He was nearly through fixing the projector, underneath the ship, oil streaks on his face and in his hair, he was always happiest when he was fixing things that he didn't hear his communicator going off on the work-bench. Dropping the hydrospanner it skidded away from his grasp, rolling out from under the interceptor to grab it when someone he didn't hear enter bent down to pick it up. Before he had a chance to ask who it was the stranger replied, "I think it's time to go Skyguy."


	12. Chapter 12 : A Good Name

Chapter Twelve:

The hover-creeper rolled away as Anakin rose up, his mouth agape. He rubbed his eyes, attempting to awaken himself from what he was sure was a dream, the act just added more grease onto his face, making him almost seem like a different being, streaked similarly to some of the Twi'lek men. All the things he angrily thought, and said about her leaving the Order faded away. He never really believed the things he said out loud in anger, he always understood her reasons. But he couldn't help but feel hurt, but staring at her now, his former Padawan, she was here for him now, right where she 'ought to be. Now surely convinced it wasn't an hallucination he grinned from ear to ear, "How..."

"Did I find you? You forget I'm the best, besides who else would be so renowned for their droid repairing skills out in the Chommell sector?" Ahsoka finished Anakin's sentence, and mirrored his beaming smile.

Anakin couldn't contain himself, he picked up his former Padawan and spun her around embracing her. "I thought...I thought I'd never see you again. I didn't know what to do, I-"

Ahsoka raised her hand, then pointed behind Anakin to a beeping communicator. "I think...someone needs you."

Anakin's eyes raised wide, "Oh no! I missed it. I gotta go, I gotta..." his words failing him, trailing off in a flurry of gathering items and tripping out of his coveralls.

Ahsoka put a hand on her waist, "Come on...Master, after you."

In such a rush he forgot to turn off the lights, or clean up, but none of it mattered right now to him, things could be fixed, things could be cleaned, but people as Anakin knew could not always be fixed, or replaced. A tiny seed of worry and doubt still plagued him, he pushed it down trying not to let it drown him as it almost did weeks ago. He mounted his speeder outside, and Ahsoka behind him. Lifting his arm to his mouth he spoke into his communicator, another thing he seemed to have permanently borrowed from being a Jedi, "Artoo, come in Artoo" The droid quickly chirped back, "We're on our way now, is she safe, is Padmé alright?" All he heard was screams coming from the communicator. Gripping the handles tighter he sped even faster back towards the house. He felt Ahsoka hold onto him even tighter, placing her face onto his back.

He didn't bother to lock in his speeder, not that anyone would dare steal it, and rushed towards the door and up the stairs following the screams of his wife. Winama walked out of the bedroom door, her eyes met with Anakin's. "She's alright, but-" Winama was interrupted by a panicked reply,

"But what! Tell me now, what is wrong." Anakin asked

Ahsoka held Anakin's hand, "Anakin."

Anakin bit his tongue, and attempted to soothe his anger, taking a deeper breath, "I heard screaming over the communicator I came as soon as I could."

Winama wiped her hands on an apron, "I take it this is your first experience with this sort of thing. Padmé is alright, it's just we've hit a complication."

"One of the babies is breech,"

Anakin furled his brow, "Breech? Wait, babies? Plural? More than one?" Far too much information was surrounding the room, processing was going to take a while

Winama began to gesture, then decided against it, "The baby wants to come out the wrong way, now this would be easier if we were in a medical facility"

Anakin took a step towards the door, Winama blocking his path, "Then we have to go, NOW!"

Winama shook her head, "There's no time now, it's fine, I've delivered my share of breech births and we have a EW-3 droid, and state of the art implements, it's not like it was hundreds of generations ago. Anakin, please calm yourself and support her now."

Ahsoka could feel her former master shake, she had never seen him so afraid in all the years she had trained under him. Ahsoka had seen her fair share of destruction and war, but welcoming a family was altogether a different experience for them both, "Anakin, it's okay to be afraid." He gripped her hand harder, Winama nodded and stepped out of the way, and he opened the door.

The room was humid, the window open allowing a slight breeze to come in which fluttered the curtains. Anakin's eyes met with his wife's and saw that hair was slicked back with sweat, Anakin remarked to himself that she looked just like the nightmares, except she didn't look afraid. Again he was reminded of her strength, and it made him sad. He took a seat next to the bed, Ahsoka standing next to him. Padmé was clearly in pain, and breathing in quickly, "why haven't they given you anything for the pain?" Anakin asked

She shook her head, "it all came on too fast, and besides I didn't want it that way. I wanted to have our children here at home, just like my mother, and-" Padmé gulped some air, moaning, "her mother."

Padmé reached out, and took Anakin's hand, "I love you, and you," she looked at Ahsoka, "I'm so glad you're here today with us," Padmé said in between breaths.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Ahsoka added.

Winama came back into the room, holding a tray of instruments that Anakin didn't recognize. "Your parents are here, downstairs. Do you want them in here or should I keep them downstairs for now?"

Padmé waved her arms, "Please keep them downstairs, it's already too crowded in here."

Winama nodded her head, "as I suspected, okay are you ready? This is going to be uncomfortable" Padmé nodded. Uncomfortable was an understatement, but the world was filled with understatement.

The EW-3 droid made what sounded like it was some sort of rolly polly infant covered in jelly, and went to work with Winama. Anakin raised his brow and kept his eye on her. He couldn't tell what she was doing, Padmé's screams increased, causing his heart to race. "You know Ani, we never did discuss names." Padmé said in between breaths.

Anakin laughed, "You're right, we never did. I don't even know if we're going to have boys or girls,"

Padmé smiled, "it's a surprise."

Winama looked up at the two, "I think I got it, Padmé...I want you to push now okay?" Padmé nodded and did as she was instructed. Anakin felt more lost than he did as a child his first day on Coruscant, and more powerless than ever before. Yet here, he felt that he was finally where he was supposed to be. A small infant appeared, held by the droid making it's soft bumbling noises, which was returned by the squeaking of the squirming new life, Winama looked at the two parents and smiled, "a boy."

Anakin grinned and looked back to his wife, "I knew we'd have a boy, I knew it." The EW-3 droid made a few babbling noises to the baby again, and cradled it. Handing the infant to Anakin, he scooped him up and looked at his new baby, his little fingers quickly grasping on to his hair.

"Aww he's so cute, looks just like you Master, err Anakin," Ahsoka teased.

"Yeah, yeah he is cute," Anakin kissed his smooth head, and smelled him _._ He could already feel how much good was already in this boy, it seemed as if all the darkness inside of Anakin's heart had begun to instead glow, looking into his newborn son. How close was he to never having this feeling, was a thought that came to Anakin's mind.

"Let me see him," Padmé requested, and Anakin handed his son to her, who cradled the boy. She began to cry, "Oh he's so beautiful." Winama looked up once more, "This one should be much easier, seems this one wants to get in on the action as soon as possible."

"Okay, once more Padmé." Again a cacophony of sounds of pain continued, although much shorter than last time. There was screaming, of a different sort shortly after. "A girl, you have a girl," Winama stated.

Anakin turned and hugged Ahsoka, tears of joy streaming down his face. "Well, don't just stand there, meet your new daughter." The EW-3 droid cleaned off the baby girl and Anakin's eyes met his daughter's. Even right then Anakin remarked that her eyes looked just like Padmé's, they had the same sort of intelligence and ability to look right into someone. "Hi, nice to meet you," Anakin sweetly said to his new daughter. He kissed her forehead as well, and sat down next to Padmé, showing her the new baby girl as well. Looking at his two children, and his wife glistening in sweat he never felt so powerless. Instead of angering him, this powerlessness seemed to take a weight off his chest that had nested deep inside for many years. He smiled, and his eyes tearing up, finally he thought, here was what he wanted all this time.

"Well guys, you can't call them baby 1 and baby 2," Ahsoka chimed in. Padmé and Anakin both laughed, and looked at each other. "I thought, maybe...we could name the boy after...Qui-Gon. If you didn't mind."

Padmé smiled, thinking of the Jedi who helped save her planet and herself before being defeated by the Sith, Darth Maul, "Yes," she looked at her son, "I think that's a good name"

"I agree, I never met him. But he was a great man," Ahsoka said.

"He was a good man, I'm sad to say I never got to know him better," Padmé handed Qui-Gon to Ahsoka, "Hi little guy, I'm Ahsoka Tano...and you're the cutest guy in the whole sector."

Padmé's eyes drifted to her daughter in Anakin's arms. "Ani, I thought we should name our daughter after your mother," Anakin looked up at his wife, "Really? You think so?" She pursed her lips, and nodded, "Yes, with you here with me, I see that now. Now she's always with us, with you. We have lost so many people dear to us, this way they're never really gone," Anakin gently placed his head against Shmi's tiny head, then looked straight into his daughter's eyes, "You're named after the most gentle, caring woman I've ever known in my life, my mother. You'll always be my little angel," Ahsoka gave Qui-Gon back to Padmé, "I'm going to give your parents the good news, I think you two, especially Padmé needs some rest." Winama agreed and they both went downstairs. Anakin looked over at Padmé, already fast asleep holding Qui-Gon, _she's alright, she's safe._ Everything he had feared, had not transpired. Anakin wanted to be angry at Palpatine's deception, and what he had almost done, but he looked down at baby Shmi and smiled instead. The future was always in motion, he had somehow changed his future, he wasn't sure how, but it felt as if he had lifted a large weight off of his destiny.

The EW-3 droid cleaned up, and floated out the door and turned itself off, giving the new parents their much needed privacy. Cradling his new daughter he quickly fell asleep in his chair next to Padmé, both parents dozing to the sounds of laughter and celebration downstairs. His last thoughts before unconsciousness was of Obi-Wan, wishing that he could be here to see this.


	13. Chapter 13 : Survival

Chapter Thirteen:

The nearest planet that Obi-Wan could think to land on without attracting too much attention was Mandalore, its continuing neutrality would come in handy allowing him to change transport to a ship or shuttle heading towards Core worlds. It was Hondo that mentioned a possible landing there, Hondo was smart enough not to ask what caused Obi-Wan to slightly grimace at the suggestion, but Mandalore was the best choice to get a Republic bound transport. Hondo claimed he had some business with the Pyke syndicate that was still active on the planet since Maul and Opress' landing, what business Hondo had with the crime syndicate, Obi-Wan had no interest in knowing. The trio planned to go their separate ways on landing, and made their usual goodbyes. Hondo winked, and placed a hand on his hip before Obi-Wan and Rex walked off the ramp saying that he'd see them again. Not believing in coincidences he wanted to disagree, but something told him that he was right, and somehow the universe would have them cross paths again.

Mandalore was already much different since the last time Obi-Wan was here. On paper Mandalore was still a neutral planet, but in actuality it was under the iron foot of General Grievous, and the ragtag government lead by the remains of Death Watch had dissolved, and with it, Obi-Wan supposed, Darth Maul. No one had seen or heard from Maul since then, and he had to assume he had been defeated. Now the Separatists were basically defeated the government on Mandalore would more than likely be thrown into turmoil, but perhaps it is what the planet deserved. Obi-Wan pushed his anger down, not allowing himself to be ruled by his anger. He was not here to right wrongs, simply get transport.

Obi-Wan feared that the ghosts of the past would come to haunt him, if he remained here any longer. Rex trailed behind him wearing a cloak to hide his face, lest anyone recognize the face of more than a billion men. Obi-Wan found a quiet spot in an alleyway in between two markets, the ground littered with refuse and most importantly, empty. Gesturing Rex towards him he asked him to keep watch, ensure no passerby saw or heard anything sensitive. Obi-Wan wasn't quite sure what he was going to report to the council, finding Rex would be good news, yet the knowledge he learned on Saleucami, the ongoing conspiracy would hardly be welcome news. It was best to keep all knowledge from everyone, if news that billions of clones were little more than potential weapons of mass destruction, ready to be armed at will...most would shudder at the thought. No, Obi-Wan agreed with his first decision, no one needed to know now. He pinged for the council, expecting to get Master Stass Ali, who was normally in the communications room at the temple instead he was surprised to see Master Windu.

"I wasn't expecting to see you when I called,"

Mace smiled, "I am sorry to disappoint, old friend."

Obi-Wan chuckled, "We should convene the council, I have some news to report."

Mace's image stuttered for a moment before his voice followed, "I'm afraid that isn't possible right now."

Taken aback slightly, Obi-wan was confused, "Sorry? Is something the matter?"

"Tell me have you found Captain Rex?" Mace asked, but Obi-Wan heard something different in his voice, a concerning tone maybe?

Obi-Wan looked over at Rex, who was keeping a lookout, and lowered his voice. Shaking his head he replied, "sorry, he's evaded my search. I fear he may be dead."

Mace's eyebrow raised, and he leaned into the communicator, clasping his hands together and his elbows on his knees, yet he looked relieved, "That is good news, Obi-Wan. I'm afraid things are not well here on Coruscant."

Obi-Wan squinted his gaze, wondering why he would say that it was good news. Nothing about it should please him, but perhaps there was more than what appeared, "What do you mean?"

Shifting in his seat Mace explained, "Admiral Tarkin has taken it upon himself, along with several others to lead an investigation into the death of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine."

Obi-Wan coughed out of near surprise, "That's not too surprising, you did expedite matters. It was only a matter of time until there was an investigation. We aren't above Republic law, even as Jedi."

Mace frowned, his face creased anxiously, "you're right, but I had no choice. He was too dangerous to be kept alive."

Obi-Wan noticed the worry in his old friend's face. While he and Anakin were battling across the Outer Rim fighting pirates, Separatists, Mace was here on Coruscant. He saw it as soon as he landed on the planet, the stoic Jedi master had seemed to have aged nearly 30 years in the span of a few months. Where there was once hope, there was despair, where there was once optimism there was only darkness. Slowly Obi-Wan was forced to watch the Jedi Order that had stood for over one thousand generations be slowly crushed under the responsibilities of the Republi. Still, he worried about the path Mace had been heading for the last few weeks, all Jedi struggled with attachment, they were only mortal after all. Mace had an attachment that was different than most, he had pride over serving the Republic. It was that pride that worried him now. Gripping his cloak closer, Obi-Wan looked back at Mace's blue holographic projection, "We must trust in democracy, and the Senate. They will see reason."

Mace shifted his gaze, and leaned back, relaxing in his chair, in a defeated tone, "I don't agree. The military and the senate won't believe us." Mace was hardly wrong, the Senate had shone itself to be a willing puppet to corruption, but if the Jedi could not believe in democracy, who else would?

"So what do you propose then?" Obi-Wan asked flatly.

"We take control of the senate," Mace stated, matter of factly, as if he were explaining to a Padawan a simple fighting form.

If Obi-Wan were drinking from a cup he would have spat all over the communicator. "What? That's insane, Mace, what are you thinking?"

Leaning against a wall in the alley, Obi-Wan held his head in his left hand, the communicator on the right. Just how much had changed in the Republic since he and Anakin left for the Outer Rim? Obi-Wan no longer felt as if he was talking to an old friend and comrade, but instead a stranger with a familiar face was staring at him through the communicator. Wondering how long it had been since Mace was himself was a troubling thought, it had been a long time since before the Clone Wars and the militarization of the Jedi Order, Obi-Wan thought of the attempted assassination of Count Dooku. He thought it appalling then, just how much further was the order willing to fall to use someone like Asajj Ventress and use her anger, her sadness to kill her former master, leading one of their own to the dark side.

It was the order who refused to trust Ahsoka, it was the order that covered up its own misdeeds. It was the order that mislead and mistrusted Anakin. The senate may have been controlled by a Sith, but it was the Jedi who were blind to it. All of this had been slowly burning in Obi-Wan, but there was never the right time to speak up. Maybe he should have, a long time ago. But he could almost hear his former Master chiding him to remain in the present, to trust his instincts. Obi-Wan understood, and his instincts said something was wrong. He became aware of his surrounding again, the slightly sweet stench of rotting fruit, the course rock of the building in the alley.

 _Is this how it all ends? Democracy, the Republic? With the best of intentions, will we all betray the principles we once swore?_

"Obi-Wan. Are you still there?"

"Yes I am still here. You know this plan of yours, the Council will never agree, not Master Yoda. Not even Anakin."

"I don't have to follow Master Yoda to do what is right Kenobi. And Anakin is gone."

 _All those who gain power are afraid to lose it._

He hadn't thought of that early teaching in years, he learned it from Qui-Gon while he was chasing a gang of freedom fighters across the Outer Rim, and he re-learned it throughout many battles, but never the Jedi, he never thought he would learn the lesson with a fellow Jedi Master. He couldn't understand what he was hearing, Mace Windu speaking of a coup? He remembered Mace posing the question of the Jedi taking control of the Senate as a measure to remove Palpatine, but never did he think he would ever go through it. Finally, Obi-Wan went over what he had said, how could Anakin be gone?

"Mace, what do you mean Anakin is gone? Has he been sent somewhere?"

He shook his head, "I'm afraid I don't know that yet. He decided his destiny no longer remained with us, he's gone."

Obi-Wan straightened himself out, "I understand. Mace, I ask a favour. We are old friends, please don't do anything until I return to Coruscant." Obi-Wan stressed each syllable, making sure there could be no misinterpretation

Mace nodded, and closed his eyes, "Of course old friend."

He clicked off the communicator and called out, "Rex, let's go."

"Yes Sir," Rex affirmed.

Rex looked ask if he were about to say something, until he saw the defeated look in Obi-Wan's eyes. He pursed his lips and nodded, following the Jedi towards the town centre.

Obi-Wan was no usual Jedi, if he were at one time it was certainly before Qui-Gon chose him as a Padawan. He was known for his affinity for seedy bars, and questionable friends, and it was these skills that allowed him to walk into a used shuttle market and after only an hour of haggling talk an old women into selling the "nice young man" a used shuttle with a hyperspace dock for only 5,000 credits, Republic Credits even. Walking up the ramp, Rex sat in the pilot's seat, "Sir, what did General Windu say?"

Obi-Wan sat down behind Rex, his shoulders hunched over, interlocking his fingers together, elbows on his knees, "I don't know Rex. I can't place it, but something has gone terribly wrong. Mace spoke of a coup."

Rex cradled his head in his hands on his lap, and made a groaning noise.

With a heavy sigh Obi-Wan placed a hand onto Rex's shoulder.

The trip towards Coruscant was silent, arriving Obi-Wan squinted as the sunlight reflected off the spires of Coruscant, its dazzling beauty like glittering jewelry, hiding the dark underbelly Obi-Wan knew all too well. He landed the small cruiser, lowering his head, flicking his cloak over his head, not wanting to exit just yet, he turned to Rex, pausing before speaking, "Rex, I want you to hide. I've told the council that you're probably dead. I didn't want them to know, not just yet, here," Obi-Wan threw him a communicator, "take this, I will communicate with you when I'm ready to leave, and Rex?"

"Yes Sir?"

"Please stay safe."

"Of course Sir"

The landing platform only had a scattered number of droids, and workers, few security details. It was why Rex chose it. No one gave Obi-Wan or Rex much attention. Not wishing to draw any attention the two quickly parted ways, and Obi-Wan headed towards the Galactic Alliance Navy Command Complex. The building was much different from the opulence of the usual Coruscanti type, instead of elegant, and beautiful, it was was grey, made with sharp angular points and oppressive. Obi-Wan walked past several clones and droids and entered the building. He stopped to speak to a Tholothian guard who was looking him up and down, surely recognizing the Jedi, "I wish to speak with Admiral Tarkin."

"Uh...yes, yes of course." The Tholothian blinked several times before jumping slightly and walking as quickly as his body would let him, running down the hall to find the Admiral, Obi-Wan crossed his arms and looked around, noting the spotlessness of the floors. He had heard of the Admiral, formerly Governor Tarkin's penchant for cleanliness amongst other things. When he looked back up he could see him, his face was even more gaunt than it had been during the daring rescue from the Citadel, and his hair already streaked with grey. He wondered what had caused it, perhaps even someone as Stoic as he, was still affected by this war.

Admiral Tarkin stood in front of Obi-Wan, he was nearly the same height as the Jedi, but he had an otherworldly height to him that seemed to fill the whole room. Chewing on his cheek ever so slightly, Obi-Wan let the Admiral have the first word.

"General Kenobi, how...interesting of you to visit us," Tarkin said in his aristocratic accent.

Obi-Wan ignored the tone of Tarkin's voice, which he assumed meant to catch him off balance, "I have been mostly off world, but I hear concerning news."

Tarkin's nostrils flared slightly, and he brought his arms behind him, "As I understand it your Order took it upon themselves to accuse the Chancellor of sedition. Instead of facing trial, General Windu murdered him. What do you have to say to that?"

Obi-Wan crossed his arms, "Yes, I was unfortunately offworld at the time. But I learned of it after I returned after defeating General Grievous. I thought you should know, however, Anakin Skywalker was the one who ended the Chancellor. Not Mace Windu."

Tarkin seemed surprised, and placed his left leg slightly behind himself, his eyebrow cocked, "I wish to congratulate you on your victory, Kenobi. But I am honestly surprised to hear about General Skywalker, I assumed he and the Chancellor were very close. "

"Yes, that was true. We had asked him to spy on the Chancellor, as we had suspicions that he was the Sith Lord we were trying to find. Turns out our suspicions were indeed correct."

Tarkin paced a few steps, to the left and to the right, with a puzzled look. Tarkin may not have paid any mind to the fantastical tales of the Jedi, or the force, but he was a known student of history, in particular, military history. "The Sith? Are you sure?"

Obi-Wan nodded, "I'm afraid so. I apologize for the mess this has created, killing is not the Jedi way."

"So you say Kenobi, where is General Skywalker?"

Obi-Wan swallowed, and shook his head, "I'm afraid he's left the...he's gone, and I am unsure where."

"How unfortunate. I have heard the old tales about the battles before the Republic, about these Sith. If they are truly as bad as the stories say, I can understand. Kenobi if I may say something?"

"Of course," Obi-Wan nodded.

"I am not an evil man. However the rule of law must stand, and I will continue my investigation, with...or without the approval of your Order." Obi-Wan noted that he enunciated every word in his statement more than usual.

"I was afraid of that. I'm afraid my order is...divided on how to handle this."

"I realize that it is hardly the Republic's way to answer violence with violence. I however will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth." Tarkin flattened his voice to Obi-Wan.

"I understand, you must do what you feel is right. Let me try to speak to the council, I wish to see a peaceful resolution to this. I agree, order must stand."

Tarkin nodded, accepted a datapad from his assistant, and left without saying a word.

Obi-Wan didn't tell Tarkin about Mace's plan to control the Senate, not without starting a whole new war. They were still fighting the Separatists, and with or without the Separatist droid armies, they were still a threat to Galactic peace. Thousands of worlds in political limbo, a power vacuum would not remain peaceful without a ruler for long.

Obi-Wan raced past Jedi, and Padawan, and guards and face after face trying to walk as fast as possible reaching the Council room, his cloak fluttering behind him, trailing like soke. He could hear arguing, but it was muffled behind the heavy door. Obi-Wan opened it with a bit of a push and the room was hushed in an uneasy silence. "Kenobi." Came the words from Mace Windu's seat. Obi-Wan made an awkward cough into a fist, and looked around for Master Yoda, then to Master Windu, "Where is Master Yoda?"

Mace stood up from his seat and straightened his robes, Obi-Wan remarked just how tired he seemed, he couldn't see the extent over the communicator. "Where is Master Yoda? We must discuss...discuss this idea you have. It's just too much!" Mace brought a shaky hand to his face, then quickly patted his cheek, "Master Yoda is...not feeling well. We're not sure what's wrong."

Obi-Wan moved towards Mace, "Well we must see him now."

"No!" Mace moved his hand to look at his old friend, "No, we can't bother him now, not now."

Obi-Wan shrugged, "This is madness. This is the time for us to do what must be done, which is to be the peacekeepers we are supposed to be!"

"I know what has to be done, for peace and security in the galaxy, we've all been blind to it this whole time Obi-Wan," Mace shouted.

"We're not warriors, and we're not politicians. We need to let democracy resume."

The other Jedi masters in the room began looking amongst themselves, with worrying glances. Obi-Wan could feel the unease in the room, it felt like a tropical storm off the Southeastern coast on Felucia. Mace looking almost defeated slumps back down in his chair. Obi-Wan couldn't place it, but something else was bothering Mace, he could almost sense it.

"Obi-Wan, with Master Yoda now indisposed I need to know where you stand with me."

Obi-Wan stood and looked around the room, trying to judge the reactions of his co-masters. Their faces were worn, he couldn't read the emotions, "Mace, you know I cannot do that. We are Jedi, we stand for democracy, the Republic we cannot simply abandon that. You know I am right, this is not the time not after all we have been through together."

Mace's head rolled slightly to the right and he began to speak,"with the Separatists now on the run, and the Trade federation missing we can now guarantee peace in the galaxy Obi-Wan. We can cut through the bureaucracy! Destroy the cult of greed, the dark side has clouded our vision for too long. Now I can finally see clearly, why can you not see it too?"

Obi-Wan noted just how tired Mace looked, his eyes bloodshot. _What in the force had happened while I was away_. Obi-Wan thought to himself. Changing his stance he mustered an authoritative voice "I have heard similar words before, from Count Dooku. I didn't agree then, and I do not agree now."

Mace stood up, his mouth opened but instead of a voice coming out it was his former padawan Depa Billaba who tugged his robe slightly. Obi-Wan took notice that he looked down at her and cleared his throat instead. _What was going on here_. "You are right Obi-Wan," Mace noded slightly, "this is not the time. Let us...speak of this another time. We are all very tired."

"Of course my old friend." Obi-Wan bowed to the council, and left the chamber far more confused than he was a few hours ago. A brewing conspiracy was growing larger and larger, and its epicenter appeared to be here on Coruscant, much like a Hydra beast, destroying Palpatine only allowed the lingering seeds of evil to grow further.

Perhaps some hours of meditation would help clear his mind. Or better yet, he decided was a drink. A large one.


	14. Chapter 14 : A Disturbance

Chapter Fourteen:

He was tired, more tired than the months he spent away from Coruscant in the Outer Rim during the War. It was a good tired Anakin decided, watching his twins sleep, finally. All those nights away from his wife, he spent most of them awake and staring out towards the stars, wondering if she was looking at the same ones. So much had happened, threatening to destroy him, her, everyone. Instead, he looked over at Qui-Gon, he was finicky, like he always had to be awake convinced he would miss something, his daughter Shmi was already inquisitive, at only a week old, her eyes always stayed on him. He could feel them through the force, the raw feelings and thoughts of an infant, they felt like raw bundles of energy, and light, he smiled. He caressed the foreheads of his twins while they coo-ed, and stifled a yawn. He didn't even see Ahsoka standing in the doorway, "Scared me there Snips."

"Hey, I thought you were going to stop calling me that," Ahsoka said softly with a grin.

Anakin shrugged, "I'll only stop when it stops bothering you so much"

"You taking care of babies, never thought I'd see the day."

"Hey I'm full of surprises," he shrugged.

Anakin stretched, and yawned again, "I am so tired."

Ahsoka nodded, "Yeah I figured you would be, I think the entire planet is tired with the pipes those two have."

The two laughed softly, "speaking of, let's leave them be."

Anakin stepped past Ahsoka to head towards the bedroom, when she lightly grabbed his robe, "Anakin there's something I wanted to talk to you about, why I came to find you." Anakin noted a change in her voice, it was deeper, and flecked with sadness. With a trademark smile, Anakin looked down at her and agreed, "Of course, I always have time for you," Anakin looked over Ahsoka to the bedroom where Padmé was sleeping, the bed covered in datapads. Anakin put a finger over his mouth to gesture for silence and closed the nursery door and the bedroom and motioned to follow and led Ahsoka downstairs to Padmé's office which was now filled with stacked books, political datapads, and gifts from her former constituents. She claimed she was retired, but Anakin knew better, eventually her desire for public work would bring her back.

"Take a seat, tell me what do you want to talk about?" Ahsoka sat, and leaned back into the chair, "After I left the order...I was lost." Ahsoka closed her eyes, and Anakin felt a deep pang of grief, Ahsoka's voice reflected a similar pain, "I didn't know what to do, where to go...what my path was. So I decided to focus on my weaknesses, I meditated on the force for a long time. I let the force guide me, to see where my path led."

Anakin took a seat next to Ahsoka, and nodded, "and it led you here?" Ahsoka shook her head, "No, not at first. I began to see images, more like feelings. I felt great anger, it was like nothing I had ever felt before and it was surrounded by pain and death."

Anakin leaned onto his knee, "Sith?"

Again Ahsoka closed her eyes and shook her head, the words were hard pressed to come out, "No, what I saw...what I felt, was you Master."

Anakin sat back into the chair, slumped and defeated and covered his face with his hands, "What did you see, tell me Ahsoka? What did you see?"

The connection between Master and student was never truly broken, he wasn't shocked that Ahsoka could sense, even from afar how he struggled. What he wanted to know what she saw, what could have been.

Ahsoka turned her head away from Anakin, "I saw you, but you were different. Your eyes were...not your own. It was hard to see anything, but I knew it was you and you had so much hatred. I saw Padmé dying, all of us dying then...just black."

"Just black?"

"I just saw blackness, I heard breathing. I had to stop I knew I had to find you. To stop it, but I found you too late."

Ahsoka's eyes glittered, "I never should have left you, not ever."

Anakin shifted towards her, and touched his former Padawan's face, "Ahsoka, look at me,"

Ahsoka turned her head to look at her former master, her eyes filled with tears, "Ahoka, you weren't too late. You came back. That's all that matters."

"I just can't help but feel that this all, that this isn't right, I know what I felt."

"Don't ever doubt yourself like that, I told you I understood more than you knew about wanting to leave. I know how close I was to...something dark."

"I just knew I had to find you Master, I was so worried."

Anakin stood up and motioned to take Ahsoka's hand, and embraced. "I know, I never stopped worrying about you. It's okay now."

Anakin put his hand in his pocket, fishing out the silken beads that he once offered back to Ahsoka, "I want you to have this, you don't have to wear it again, but I want you to have this."

Ahsoka's eyes went wide, then placing her hand on her former Master's she picked up the beads,

"I'm here now Anakin, I will never leave you again."

"I know snips. I know"

Elsewhere on Coruscant, the buzzing of life on the city planet ebbed and flowed, much like the force, the planet was home to the Jedi for as long as the Republic, however, the home of many years was suddenly hostile and alien to Obi-Wan. It was no longer the tranquil and stable place it was when he was a padawan, but with a smirk he thought of what Qui-Gon might say to that thought. He never thought the Jedi Order was infallible as Obi-Wan once did. He ended his meditation in the room he and Anakin once shared, his mind unfocused. He looked at a recording device, he could place it anywhere in the Temple, or the Council , Obi-Wan grabbed it and rolled it around in his palm. He was afraid of knowing what could be on it, he didn't want to believe that the Order could do this, that everything he had put his life's work into, was a lie.

Obi-Wan stood up, and pocketed the listening device, still unsure what to do with it and turned off the lights, and made his way down the dimly lit hallways towards the other sleeping quarters, much like when he was a young man, he had questions that only Master Yoda could answer. He wished for his soothing countenance and comfort.

Exhaling in a mock confidence, Obi-Wan strode to Yoda's quarters which had two guards posted, "Excuse me gentlemen, I must speak to Master Yoda." The two shadow guards raised their sabers in a cross, blocking the door, "Sorry, there's to be no visitors to the Master."

Obi-Wan opened his eyes in shock, "I'm sorry, I believe I misheard you?"

The shadow guards repeated again, Obi-Wan touched his chin, "Under whose authority?"

"We are not at liberty to -"

Obi-Wan interrupted, "To a High Council Member?"

The two shadow guards ignited their sabers, which Obi-Wan took as a sign that he was not about to get more answers here, not wishing to cause a scene, "Well then, I'll take my leave."

Walking away from the temple, Obi-Wan raised his hood. "Captain Rex, are you there?" he said into his communicator. "Yes General?"

"More disturbing news, meet me at Dexter's diner in a quarter rotation."

"Of course sir."

Obi-Wan walked towards his ship, and made a call on his subspace comm. "Senator Bail Organa, I've served you and the Senate in the Clone Wars, I fear that the democracy we have worked so hard to keep, is in danger. I need your help, please meet me at the diner near the Temple."

Obi-Wan didn't stop to look around, he immediately got into his ship docked down the lane and input coordinates into his new R4 droid. He picked Dex's Diner, mostly because Obi-Wan knew the best way to hide was in a crowd, and he knew Dex would be more than happy to see him again.

The place was as boisterous as you could assume any location on Coruscant with music would be after dark. He waved a droid waitress over whose metal covering had seen better days, and asked for a booth near the back with a plump seat. He sat in the corner of the booth, his eyes on the door, and asked for a cup of caf, and put up his hood.

 _How in the universe to I keep getting involved in these conspiracies?_

Seats came and went before he saw his first guest, he waved over Rex, who's eyes immediately narrowed and looked around and sat down silently. "General, I can't help but feeling that we're heading into some serious trouble."

Obi-Wan drank a gulp of now lukewarm caf, "You and me both,"

The two sat in near silence, waiting for their final guest, and Obi-Wan spotted his hovercar, coming in from the west. "Here's our last guest"

"Bail Organa?" Rex looked at Obi-Wan, "are sure you can trust a senator?"

Obi-Wan waved his hand, "You seem to trust Senator Amidala,"

Rex sat back in the booth, "Only because General Skywalker seems to, he has good instincts about that. On people I mean."

"Well, he's a very good friend of her's, and by extension us. And we need friends, especially in the Senate."

Rex nodded in agreement, and shifted in his seat to make room for one more.

Bail made an exasperated sound, "Just what in all nine Corellian Hells is happening Obi?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, "I am nearly as lost as you are."

Obi-Wan put his cup down, and turned the handle away from him as he regaled all he knew from the beginning to Bail Organa, including the suspected imprisonment of Master Yoda, and the investigation being led by Admiral Tarkin.

Bail's eyes widened, "Are you certain about the Jedi Order?"

"and Yoda? Can you be sure? Can they even do that?"

Obi-Wan thought a moment before speaking, he put a hand into his pocket to retrieve his listening device. "I thought of recording the High Council, but haven't been able to bring myself to do it."

He placed the device on the table, "I don't want to know..."

A droid waitress appeared at the table, which interrupted the meeting, "good evening, what can I get 'fer 'ya tonight gentlemen?"

Obi-Wan didn't much care for the casual language programming of this droid, but took the opportunity to order more caf. Rex piped up, "give me your strongest, cheapest drink, will ya?" He looked at both Bail and Obi-Wan, "I'm going to need it."

"Nothing for me." Bail added, "I've lost my appetite."

The droid made an odd _tut tut_ sound, and wheeled off, shouting something to the kitchen.

Obi-Wan attempted to peer over and spot if his old friend was puttering around the kitchen, wondering what his opinion on all this would be. He didn't see the large and boisterous Besalisk, must have been his rare day off.

Bail took the listening device, rolled it between his index and thumb, eyed it, "I don't know if I want to know either, but we need to."

"I agree, I just can't bring myself to do it, not right now."

"They can't keep a Master of the Counsel from visiting Yoda...can they?" Rex asked.

"Apparently they can." Obi-Wan placed both his hands on the table, "Listen... need a friend in the Senate, especially now." Bail Organa shifted in his seat, and put on a face he often did as he sat in the Senate, a face of calm and contemplation. "Go on,"

"Years ago I uncovered a plot by a former Jedi Council member, Sifo-Dyas who placed the order for the Republic's Great Clone Army." Bail Organa nodded, "Yes, I heard rumours of this, go on"

"I later suspected Dooku was involved, but never knew how, or why. Later when we uncovered the truth about the Chancellor, we realized that he was involved."

Bail's eyes squinted, "I don't follow."

Rex placed his glass on the table, "Well sir, " Rex uncovered his head, and pointed to a small scar, "This, here is the conspiracy. There was a chip placed in every single one of my brothers, all us clones. It caused Tup to go crazy and kill General Tiplar. Said he had to."

Bail clasped his hand and asked, "you suspect that the Chancellor was involved?"

"I know the Chancellor was involved Sir. I removed this chip, on it were instructions."

Bail rubbed his temples, he was overwhelmed and nearly speechless. Rex, clearly agitated purposely lowered his voice, "One of the instructions was one of total obedience to the Supreme Chancellor and the destruction of the Jedi order. Our friends, we were going to be forced to _murder_ my friends."

"Palpatine was the very same Darth Sidious the Order was searching for Bail." Obi-Wan added. He was silent for some time, allowing the Coruscanti night life to go on in the background. "This is bad, very bad." "No one can know about this."

Obi-Wan nodded his head, "I know, I've already hidden this fact from the Council, I suspect we cannot keep it secret forever."

"What do you think the Senate would do if they found out we had billions of weapons of mass destruction, created by the very people we were fighting as enemies around the galaxy."

Rex continued to look incredibly uncomfortable, knowing exactly what he meant by that comment.

"Then you understand the predicament I am in, The order cannot be trusted, but neither can the Senate. but the longer we wait, the more likely someone is to take advantage of this."

Bail nodded, he agreed in principle with his friend, but he was not a naive idealist, "The leaders of the Separatists since General Grievous' and Count Dooku's untimely departure have been oddly silent."

"You think they're involved?" Rex asked, turning his body once more to the conversation

Bail shook his head, "No, I can't rule it out, but this isn't their style. I don't think they were involved with the creation of the Clone Army, Dooku yes...but not the Separatist leaders. Rumour is some of them have been found dead in their beds."

"What?" Both Obi-Wan and Rex shouted, causing a few heads to turn to look around.

More silently they repeated, "What?"

Bail brought up a hand to silent both, "just rumours, and with both governments prorogued, no one knows anything. Some suspect they've simply run away before terms of surrender are signed and they are brought to justice."

"Without the droid armies, thousands of star systems are now defenseless, in some sort of legal limbo. Not Republic, and with no leadership left in the Confederacy of Independent Star Systems, it'll be chaos."

Obi-Wan stroked his chin, as he often did when he was in thought, "I hate to say it, but I think we need to work with Tarkin. He's the only one neutral enough, or willing to investigate this."

"I don't know if he would work with a Jedi, or a "liberal fool for a politician" like me."

Obi-Wan shook his head, "The only Jedi he would ever work with is gone, and ever since the trial with Ahsoka, I think that bridge is long gone."

"Hmm, I still think we should try. He and former Senator Amidala, she may longer be a senator, but with the current Prorogation, and her closeness with the current Queen of Naboo, she is a very strong asset."

The three men nodded, "I fear that while this investigation continues, we only allow ourselves open to attack."

Rex grunted, "I have a bad feeling about this Sir."


	15. Chapter 15 : On The Coming Storm

Chapter Fifteen:

Mace Windu was alone in the Jedi Council room, only the twinkle of Coruscant's artificial lighting lighting the room. He was staring off, onto the urban landscape with many things on his mind. He placed his hand on the glass, and felt the vibrations of millions of people, living their lives, driving around, unaware of what had almost transpired a few weeks ago. Did the ordinary citizens of the Republic know that they were being lead by evil incarnate? No, Mace surmised, they were too busy with their mundane lives, and striking outside of the Temple, tired of war, and tired of the Jedi. The time of heroes, had ended.

His mind drifted to that of his old friend, Dooku. They never saw eye to eye on politics, Dooku was always far more of a political idealist, and he more conservative. He never questioned the place of the Jedi order, an arm to serve the Senate. But now...

He felt a presence in the room enter, silently, "Depa, cannot sleep?"

His former padawan glided across the room, standing next to him, in the dark Mace could see the worry in her eyes. "Master, I worry."

Mace shook his head, "Depa, you are no longer my padawan, and you have a seat on this council. You no longer have to call me master. In fact, you have your own padawan now."

Depa Bilaba shifted her weight again, "I worry that you are taking us down a path we cannot follow. There is talk among us, that this is not the Jedi way."

The words stung the Haruun Kal master. There was an edge of truth to it he knew, he was taking the order to a different place, another voice whispered to him, _a darker place_. He shook the voice away, "did you not say to me years ago that you believed the Senate, the system we serve was corrupt."

"Yes, I did. There are many corrupt senators, and I believe democracy has been clouded by war, but it's not our place to force change."

Mace squinted his eyes to look out of the glass, "isn't it? The Senate we served was nothing more than a puppet government. The Republic has become the very evil we have been fighting to destroy."

Depa turned to look through the glass next to her former master, "We were all blind to it, the dark side is subtle," she chose we words carefully next, "and grows within us all." She knew very well about the call to the dark side. It often came to one in need, seducing with flattery. Depa worried that her former master was no longer straddling the dark side within himself, but was in fact falling. "What you're doing, needs to stop. Let democracy resume, and the other members of the counsel are worried about what happened with Master Yoda."

"Nothing happened to Master Yoda." Mace said incredibly matter of factly

"Then why has he been confined to his quarters?"

"Nothing of the sort has been done."

Depa reached for Mace's arm, "People are saying that you have made a prisoner of him."

Mace picked Depa's hand off of his arm, "Master Yoda is free to leave whenever he wishes. I need to know if you're with me Depa."

Depa's eyes averted her former master's gaze, "I don't think I can follow you, not where you are going."

She felt Mace's grip tighten, "you're hurting me." Depa cried out, his grip softened, looking into her eyes, and he dropped her hand. Mace turned away again from Depa, "If you're not with me, you're against what we stand for."

"I'm sorry to have disappointed you, but I cannot do this," Depa bowed and walked away, Mace, absorbed in thought did not turn around to see his former Padawan leave the room.

 _We don't need her_. A lingering voice replied.

The sun was warm on Naboo, the scent of the water wafting into the room. Anakin felt restless, he was attempting to focus on something that was troubling him, he could hardly place it, but it was there. Anakin rarely meditated, he could rarely find the time in battle. An often used excuse to Obi-Wan. He was hardly known as Master Spiritual, that title went to Obi-Wan. The fact was, he hated it, he was never very good at it. His nose itched, his leg would cramp, his thoughts would never be still, and worse his conscience rose up to haunt him, and there was much to haunt the young Jedi.

 _You're a murderer._

 _You've betrayed the Order._

The voices called out to him, like a Krayt dragon it rose up and threatened to consume him, and everyone around him. He saw his own face on the inside of his eyelids, and reflected in Count Dooku's eyes, he was disarmed and pleaded for mercy. Inside he knew it was wrong, he knew, but Palpatine in his ear giving him permission to do what must be done, _no what he wanted_. Such was the treachery of the Sith he realized. Almost too late he reminded himself. Never again would he be so tempted, only now had he realized that it was his selfishness, not the council that caused everything. He was only thinking of himself, he lied thinking it was for Padmé, she would never forgive him for taking such a deal, not with such a snake. Sometimes, in his darkest moments he could feel fire engulfing his body, pain in his mechanical hand as if he was gripping hot ash. The feeling was subsiding, but he couldn't shake the phantom feeling. He had felt it while on The Invisible Hand when he was rescuing Palpatine. It seemed so long ago, another lifetime.

Taking a deep breath, Anakin became aware of the plush carpeting of the floor, and the warm Naboo sun on his face. Through the force he was aware of the breathing of his daughter and son, and their thoughts, still raw bundles of energy. A warm glow cast over Anakin's heart, thawing the frozen sun inside his heart that he feared would burn him up. A calmness Anakin had always searched for, and yet rarely found, came to him, and with it a voice.

 _Anakin..._

 _Be mindful of the Living Force, and everything that surrounds it. Through it, you can understand the path to the Cosmic Force. Don't be trapped by the past, be in the moment. Focus your mind._

Exhaling, Anakin attempted further to meditate on Qui-Gon's words, he could almost sense something, something dark, but it wasn't coming from his own heart, it was somewhere far away, something familiar. Anakin kept focusing on what it was, only getting the vaguest sense of shape, and colour until, of course he heard his son cry out. In the moment he sensed the urgency, getting up out of his cross legged position, and rubbing his posterior he walked towards the nursery. "Can't sit like that as long as I used to as a child..." Anakin said to himself, and his very sore posterior.

The nursery was a simple room, with ample light from the glass window, the room was awashed in golden light. R2-D2 was quite un-amused with the sounds of the tiny infant howling, which had by this point been added with the cacophony of another. He had been casting a hologram of stars, and small animals from different planets attempting to soothe the twins, "It's okay Artoo, they're just hungry, or, something." Anakin shrugged. He had never prepared for fatherhood, and other than dreams he never thought it possible. Like most things in life, Anakin took to them well, and instinctively. These were _his_ children, his and Padmé's children.

He picked up Qui-Gon first, soothing him the way his mother often did to him when he was young. He smelled the top of his head, and kissed his forehead, and remarked how tiny he was. "You're so tiny, how are you so tiny?" he asked out loud to the infant. Slowly both Qui-Gon and tiny Shmi were calmed, tears wiped, and before long their tiny bodies fell back into their slumber.

"Keep an eye on them Artoo,"

Artoo shook as if to say, _of course I would, they're my family too!_ But instead just came out a _woo_ , several short and curt beep noises, and he returned to showing holograms of stars and animals, and playing comforting music. Anakin patted the astromech on the head, and walked down the stairs, hearing a slight humming from the kitchen. Finally they were alone in the home, _their_ home. Never did he think it was possible, that he would have his own home, his own life.

Peering into the kitchen he saw her, it had been several years since they married, and still every moment he looked at her his heart raced, every crowd he saw, she always stood out to him, her smile enveloped him every time he closed his eyes. She hadn't noticed just yet that he was in the kitchen, fully involved in stirring porridge, and singing to herself. She was wearing a flowing blue robe, and her curly chestnut hair fully unadorned by all the usual finery she wore as a senator. Here, she was fully Padmé Naberrie Skywalker, no senatorial gowns, flat accents, and her "political face", how he hated her "political mask". Here she was a mother, a wife, a close friend to Anakin Skywalker.

He hugged Padmé from behind, and received a slight "oh,". They both smiled, and kissed one another, a quick and soft embrace as many couples do, but for Anakin and Padmé it was still a rare luxury they were only now learning to enjoy. "I heard you singing," Anakin laughed, and Padmé blushed as she turned away to move the pot off the heat, "I'm an awful singer, I know."

Anakin laughed again, "No, of course not."

"You'd make a terrible politician,"

"Who? Me? Everyone knows _I'm_ the negotiator."

Padmé placed her hands around Anakin's waist, and her head on his chest and enjoyed the few minutes of silence. "Do you regret leaving, the Order I mean?" She said while her face was on his chest.

Anakin held Padmé tighter, "Never, it was the right thing to do." Anakin believed that truth, but still he missed the direction and purpose being a Jedi gave him. "I know Ani, I've wanted to be retired, and raise children and just be...me for so long."

Anakin stroked his wife's hair, "but?"

"I hate to say it, but I almost miss it."

Padmé stood apart from Anakin, and he frowned, "The Senate? With all the corruption, the lying, everything?"

Padmé shook her head, "No, not that. I miss...the public service, helping people. I've done it since I was a child, I just don't...I don't know."

"You miss the purpose?" Anakin asked, wishing to see her opinion on Anakin's own thoughts

"I guess I do, I love being a mother, and a wife. I don't want to be a senator but maybe...Queen Apailana could use another policy advisor."

"I think she would probably like that." Anakin replied, stroking her cheek.

Anakin could hear Artoo making a racket. The twins, now hungry, cried out, "That's my cue for breakfast." Padmé added before going back upstairs. Anakin grabbed several pieces of fruit, and decided to head out to his garage, back to work. It wasn't being a Jedi, but when he was fixing ships and droids, everything made sense again. If just for a few hours.

Ahsoka was still troubled by the things she saw, and felt from Anakin. She couldn't place all the parts, but she was sure, positive that something terrible had happened. She leaned back into the meadow she was sitting in, closing her eyes, and the sun creating dancing images on her lids. She supposed something terrible, had in fact happened. The chancellor was a Sith, not any Sith, but the Sith. But that wasn't what bothered Ahsoka.

It was the feelings surrounding her former master. She had only seen his anger like that a few times in her life, she knew that he struggled with being a Jedi, and he was unlike any other Jedi. He was strong, he was more creative than anyone she knew, and also when she was honest with herself, he had a darkness in him, sometimes it scared her. He had problems, she knew but he also had so much kindness inside. She wasn't a Jedi, she was just a person now, a citizen of the now broken Republic, and she was concerned about what could have happened, or may happen to her friend.

Still, her thoughts lingered on the eyes, the visions of lava. She could hear someone screaming _I HATE YOU,_ she could never make out the voice of the other person, but it was a familiar voice. The visions were becoming blurrier, harder to make out, as if it were a dream that fades away soon after awakening. Still, the feelings of darkness had not subsided, but she didn't get that feeling from Anakin. He had never been more at peace than he was here.

Ahsoka smiled, she always figured he would find peace outside the order, one day. She never saw herself leaving, but the force was always in motion, always on the move. She sprawled out on the ground, and ran her hands through the long grass and continued to enjoy the sun, pushing her worries away, just for now.


	16. Chapter 16: Treason

Chapter Sixteen:

It was a cool night on Coruscant, only the twinkle of nightlife shone down. The wind began softly, but slowly began to pick up speed, and with it picked a dark and foreboding howl. Darkness enveloped the Jedi temple, and the stench of the dark side still reeked from every corner of the planet. In a shadowy corner of the courtyard stood a handful of Jedi, and a padawan, still sleep in his eyes, up past his usual time of slumber.

"We are treading dangerous ground, at this moment and I am concerned with the matters, such as they are, being here, in the shadows, talking about..." Shaak'ti was interrupted by Depa Bilaba, "Treason, what we are talking about is treason."

Plo Koon stepped out of the shadows, lit by the dim light of the cars above, "Is it truly treason to stop someone from destroying our home? What's left of the Republic, democracy?"

Depa closed her eyes, mustering what strength was left inside of her in the force, "We all struggle with the force, attachment, jealousy. Even Masters such as he."

The other Jedi in the shadows waited on her words, "He loves the Republic, he would do anything to save it. If that means..."

It was as if a shard of glass had lodged itself into her throat and she struggled to swallow, "If that means destroying this, what this is, what we have worked for. He would. He did not think twice when it came to destroying Palpatine, he did not question to attempt an assassination against Count Dooku. He would kill all of us, to save the democracy. I fear that his attachment to the Republic is blinding him."

No one spoke, and instead the wind picked up, gripping around the spires, and whipping hair, and lekku around, howling. There was a darkness here, and all the Jedi had felt it, somewhere deep, and lost. Finally the Padawan spoke, "Aren't the Jedi supposed to defend the Republic, no matter what?"

Depa put her arm around her young Padawan, "Yes Caleb, we have become the strong arm of the Republic. But it shouldn't be like this."

Shaak'ti spoke next, almost so softly that no one could hear over, her robes violently whipping about in the wind, "This war, Padawan. Has affected us all, it has taken us away from our own path of peace. Made friend, foe, and I fear that many of us truly are lost."

Caleb, trying desperately to hide that it was far past the time he was usually fast asleep, rubbed his eyes. "But we can stop it right? We have to!" Depa pulled Caleb towards her in a motherly embrace, "We will try, the Jedi have few friends these days, especially Jedi like us." Caleb, concerned for the great Master Windu, couldn't help but share a smile that he, a lowly Padawan was considered a friend and confident to these great masters. "Well, there is nothing to be done now, we will wait, patience and trust in the force," came from Plo-Koon before slipping back into the shadows by the wall, "May the force be with us." In silence the group departed.

Inside the Republic Senate was eerily empty, a massive dome normally filled with thousands of worlds, and their Senators, Ambassadors, staffers, assistants, journalists it was instead hollow and quiet. Many senators had taken an extended leave of absence, those loyal to Palpatine, of which there were many were waiting to exact their revenge on what they saw as an abuse of power. Tarkin didn't exactly set them off a path of vengeance, he just thought it was very foolish. He didn't think much of the Jedi's efforts in the war, many were untested as generals, and refusing to go far enough to finish the job, pacifists. Still, he decided, they were unparalleled warriors, and for that they had his respect. If anyone was foolish enough to fight a Jedi, Tarkin decided they deserved whatever fate they got.

Surrounding the Admiral was a handful of officers also from the Republic military, Judicials, and a smattering of bureaucrats. It had been more than a few years since Tarkin's move away from politics, he never could get the taste of it like Palpatine wished him to.

He was a soldier, through and through. But when one needed something done on Coruscant, one needed a politician. So a politician he would play. The room was massive, but Tarkin used it to good effect, the emptiness causing his voice to boom and echo. "Our Supreme Chancellor," and looking around the room at Vice Admiral Rancit, "and dear colleague Sheev Palpatine has been murdered at the hands of the Jedi Order."

Murmuring of the dozens of people Tarkin had collected sounded like crashing waves, refusing to raise his voice Tarkin simply cleared his throat and put his arms behind his back, as he often did when he was on the deck of his ship, silence once more returned, he slightly bowed his head in thanks, "Thank you, thank you. I will admit, many of us were concerned about the Chancellor in the final days of the Clone Wars," he said holding his hand up to stop the angry rabble, "I know the concerns some _certain_ senators had, about the extension of his powers. But let it be said that we, the Republic, voters, the true face of the Republic, not politicians voted for it. We demanded it."

Shuffling a few flimsi around his small podium, "I have in my hands, an audio recording we have secured from the Chancellor's security tapes." A hushed silence drowned the room, anxiously waiting to hear what they had all expected.

PALPATINE:

Why, Master Windu. What a pleasant surprise.

MACE WINDU:

Hardly a surprise, Chancellor. And it will be pleasant for neither of us.

PALPATINE:

I'm sorry? Master Fisto, hello. Master Kolar, greetings. I trust you are well. Master Tiin—I see your horn has regrown; I'm very glad. What brings four Jedi Masters to my office at this hour?

MACE WINDU:

We know who you are. What you are. We are here to take you into custody. PALPATINE: I beg your pardon? What I am? When last I checked, I was Supreme Chancellor of the Republic you are sworn to serve. I hope I misunderstand what you mean by custody, Master Windu. It smacks of treason.

MACE WINDU:

You're under arrest.

PALPATINE:

Really, Master Windu, you cannot be serious. On what charge?

MACE WINDU:

You're a Sith Lord!

PALPATINE:

Am I? Even if true, that's hardly a crime. My philosophical outlook is a personal matter. In fact— the last time I read the Constitution, anyway—we have very strict laws against this type of persecution. So I ask you again: what is my alleged crime? How do you expect to justify your mutiny before the Senate? Or do you intend to arrest the Senate as well?

MACE WINDU:

We're not here to argue with you.

PALPATINE:

No, you're here to imprison me without trial. Without even the pretense of legality. So this is the plan, at last: the Jedi are taking over the Republic.

MACE WINDU:

Come with us. Now.

PALPATINE:

I shall do no such thing. If you intend to murder me, you can do so right here.

MACE WINDU:

Don't try to resist. [sounds that have been identified by frequency resonances to be the ignition of several lightsabers]

PALPATINE:

Resist? How could I possibly resist? This is murder, you Jedi traitors! How can I be any threat to you? Master Tiin—you're the telepath. What am I thinking right now? [sounds of scuffle]

KIT FISTO:

Saesee—

AGEN KOLAR:

[garbled; possibly "It doesn't hurt"(?)] [sounds of scuffle]

PALPATINE:

Help! Help! Security—someone! Help me! Murder! Treason! [recording ends]

Tarkin did not know much about the old myths from the Jedi, he rarely paid much mind to them. But he did read much about the wars before the creation of the Republic, a military history hobbyist he had read every book there was about the Great Sith Wars, Mandalore, Unification wars. But he always thought that the Sith were just another myth. He knew that the Sith were the foil to the Jedi, their great enemy. Palpatine was many things to people, but the question of faith? Tarkin shifted his weight causing his boots to squeak slightly against the strain, _Was being a Sith against the law?_ No, Tarkin decided, it was not.

The cacophony of voices of just the 2 dozen humanoids was deafening. "Quiet!" Tarkin was tempted to roll his eyes and shout that this was not a military training academy. But he bit his tongue, these were not the sorts of men and women to give a lashing to, these were colleagues, and important Coruscanti bureaucrats. A voice came from the back, from a Duros bureaucrat from sector 507, "What did the Jedi mean by a Sith? Is that bad?"

Pursing his lips until they became a thin white line, "According to the Jedi, the Sith are their enemy. They will claim, an enemy of the Republic."

The Duros raised his eyes, creasing his large forehead and asked, "Are they not?"

Before Tarkin responded, a voice came from his left, from Vice Admiral Rancit, and old friend. "Nowhere in the constitution does it say that they are. In fact, our constitution guarantees religious freedom, something Palpatine pushed for. If a Sith is truly an enemy of the great Republic, tell me, why would they ensure our religious freedom?" Rancit's voice seemed to be slithering out through his teeth. He always worked so hard to please Palpatine, Tarkin wondered who he was going to try and please next.

The Duros shook his head, and took his seat. Vice Admiral Screed stood up, his cybernetic eye taking a moment to focus on Tarkin. "Just how do we hold the Jedi accountable? This is without precedent, do we arrest every Jedi? Do we execute them, do we send them to bed without dinner? They are Jedi, we are but men." Which caused several bouts of laughter, many wondered the same. The Jedi were fierce, and no one knew just where the limits of their powers may be, everyone knew the tales of Kenobi and Skywalker. Anyone with children knew everything about them, running around the galaxy, doing the impossible. Children dressed up like the dynamic duo, you couldn't go anywhere on Coruscant without seeing a poster of the two. The Negotiator, and the Hero with No Fear. The Jedi had few friends in the Republic, many saw the hypocrisy of peacekeepers in a war, yet Kenobi and Skywalker had friends everywhere. As long as the two lived, hope remained in the order.

It was then Tarkin slightly regretted his run in with Skywalker's Padawan, Ms. Tano. It left a sour note in his mouth, and in his budding friendship with the Jedi. He did what he had to do of course, but his relationship with Skywalker was strained, something he regretted. He knew it upset Palpatine, but what was he to do? Not investigate the crime of murder because the prime suspect was a friend of a friend? Even still, it was the very same friend of the Chancellor that ended his life.

If Tarkin gave special treatment to the very same Jedi, then he was no better than the other corrupt Coruscanti scum he was surrounded by, day by day. No, Tarkin reminded himself, he could not do that. But he believed if Skywalker was here, he would understand. Yes, he assured himself. Skywalker could always see reason.

Tarkin cleared his throat again, "It is clear then, that the Jedi must be held accountable for this, or at the very least be made to explain themselves, here. We may be but men, but all are accountable to the Republic, even the Jedi must see reason." Tarkin spun slightly using the magnificence of the arena, "They must explain themselves to us, the Senate, the people."

"I am sure that they can explain themselves, and we can simply put this matter to rest."

A cascade of applause boomed from the seats surrounding Tarkin on the ground of the Senate.


	17. Chapter 17: A Growing Darkness

Chapter Seventeen:

Obi-Wan awoke to an alert, there was text flashing at his eyes; MESSAGE FROM BAIL ORGANA. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he rolled out of his bed at the Jedi Temple. He hit play and a small image of Bail Organa appeared before him.

" _My friend, I've just received a notice, all senators before the Republic have been asked to attend a meeting at the Senate, labeled most urgent from Naval Intelligence. I can only guess it comes from Admiral Tarkin himself. It hasn't said what exactly this meeting is about, but I have heard rumours from sector 507 that it's about holding the Jedi accountable for the murder of the Supreme Chancellor. If I were you, and I am not, I would go on vacation, or take a trip out of Coruscant, see some_ _friends_ _. May the force be with you._ "

The image turned off, and darkened the room. Not a man to waste time, he reached for his saber and contacted Rex. Not many words needed to be said, both suspected their time on the planet was numbered, and it was time to go. Obi-Wan called in a favour to an old friend and told them he was going on vacation, with a wink he received two tickets off world. He hated goodbyes, but this felt more like a "see you around". He could do nothing to help. Not here. Sometimes the best action, was no action, he trusted in the Force and hoped that would be enough.

His thoughts drifted of his final discussion with Mace, out of all the Jedi on the council, Mace took the war the hardest. He seemed to have aged decades in the 5 months he and Anakin were in the Outer Rim. Where there was once exuberance, there was nothing but cynicism. Where there was hope, was despair.

He was right, Obi-Wan had not been on Coruscant near the end of the Clone Wars, being on the planet again he could sense a deep seated darkness that had crept into every nook and cranny of the planet. It had not subsided, it was so present that he could nearly taste it. When he and Anakin had landed on the planet he could feel it. Mace had been through a lot, with nearly losing his former Padawan, losing faith in the Republic, in democracy, he was already taking himself down a dark path, and war changes people. It had changed Obi-Wan, and as much as Obi-Wan tried to blind himself to it, it had changed Anakin. Obi-Wan remembered so many nights trying to cheer up his former Padawan, and sometimes he would smile but it wouldn't seem to warm his eyes. Obi-Wan rubbed a chill off of his arms walking out into the hall, leaving most of his few possessions behind, as was his way. Obi-Wan stopped to look around the quarters that he and Anakin shared for a lifetime. He smiled to himself, usually a Padawan once he was made a Jedi knight would go on their own way. No not usually, always Obi-Wan reminded himself. Obi-Wan was just as attached to Anakin as he was to his friends.

Taking a final inventory of the room he turned around, shut off the light, and closed the door and was sure to make sure it didn't look like he was was leaving on a long trip.

Bail Organa didn't need to spell it out when he said friends, Jedi didn't have many friends in the Republic anymore. But Obi-Wan had more friends than most, but there was one person he couldn't wait to see. Obi-Wan was a conservative Jedi, a stickler for the rules, a hard liner, a stick in the mud. But training Anakin brought out a light from Obi-Wan, being with him reminded him of being with Qui-Gon. He was no longer his padawan, but still his attachment remained. Jedi were not perfect beings, and it was a constant struggle with every member to let go of their attachments, but some were more stubborn than most.

It had been a long time since the last time he had been to Naboo, it still had many painful memories that occasionally felt just as fresh as they did over a decade ago. He greeted the slightly humid air that met him on the space dock after a long voyage, and was met with the slightly perfumed air of the gardens near by. Naboo was a popular vacation getaway, and no one would notice a man and his friend going to the beautiful and lush planet to get away from the hustle and bustle of the never ending city. Just perfect Obi-Wan thought.

To most people, Naboo was one of the most beautiful planets in the galaxy, a popular resort for vacation for some of the most elite and wealthy in the galaxy, but Obi-Wan wasn't most people. To him, Naboo was always the planet that stole his master from him, what made him the Jedi he was. He told himself it was impossible to still be able to feel Darth Maul's presence on the planet, but he could, it was similar to the feeling of a drafty cave. It gave him a slight chill, which caused him to pull on his cloak. Obi-Wan hadn't thought what he would say once he saw his former Padawan, what could he say. It seemed like Rex was reading his mind, "Sir, I'm sure Skywalker would be excited to hear from you. I rarely saw you two apart"

Obi-Wan's eyes lit up at the name, "No, we don't work well apart I'm afraid." Obi-Wan's eyes drifted out towards the small porthole window, "Not at all..."

Not far from where Obi-Wan had slept all his life, deep underside Coruscant something lay dormant for nearly 1000 years, nearly a secret. The truth on a datacron, in the archives untouched for hundreds of years tucked away in a long since forgotten section. The Jedi unaware, that their home, and their lives were living on top of the ghosts of the past, and underneath them lay a spring. A nondescript spring, but inside it lay great power. Power that Darth Sidious, and Darth Plagueis had used to cloud the visions of the Jedi, tapping into its great power they were able to hide in plain sight, Sidious, wearing the mask of the incorruptible, and stoic Senator Palpatine.

However now, with no one to harness the energy, and it hungry for more it sought out a suitable host. The Jedi had thought they had tapped the fountain, and inside nothing but a useless shell. They were wrong, there was just enough to fester, and multiply inside. A thousand years it had grown, mighty and horrifying. It nearly shrieked in pleasure when a new acolyte came to it, a disciple of the long dead, Darth Bane. Through this acolyte it was able to see the galaxy, and through the galaxy it spread its dark seed. War.

Then the Acolyte didn't see the impossible. The chosen one, he had put all of his resources, cunning and manipulation into that boy. The darkness inside Coruscant saw it all, he saw the boy killing his Jedi colleague, and dropping into darkness and through the acolyte and the boy it would survive. It saw a vision, of darkness, pain, and ashes and it was beautiful. Then he ruined it. Inside the boy remained pure, he saw through the acolyte's mask and saw it for what it was.

The lingering remains of the past filtered past its eons old prison, slowly over hundreds of generations clouding and corrupting the Jedi Order, Coruscant. Gaining a taste for the freedom and power The Acolyte had given it, and the future it had seen it branched out its fingers, caressing, and seeking something to hold on to. The darkness is strong, and it always wins, for there is darkness in everyone's heart. Even a Jedi's.


	18. Chapter 18 : Democracy is Dead

Chapter Eighteen:

An emergency meeting had been called, calling all Senators in the sector to return to Coruscant and attend a meeting in the Senate Building. The hazy sunlight within hours darkened with bodies, casting shadows across the glittering jewels of the skyline, all cramming themselves into cars, and seats. Traffic was immense filled with politicians, bureaucrats, journalists desperate for a scoop, the Republic military was even called in to aiding the direction of traffic.

Rumours were flying all across the holonet, not even the Republic's own public relations and communications officers could keep track of them all. Some said Palpatine was murdered, others claimed they had proof that he was vacationing in the southern reaches of Naboo, rumours that the Jedi were planning a coup, or that the Separatists had succeeded in assassinating the chancellor. No one knew what to believe, but if there was something senators on Coruscant loved it was good gossip.

The Senate was oddly hushed, with only the waves of whispering ebbing and flowing. Bail Organa could hardly calm himself as it was, he could feel his heart reaching into the back of his throat, and had to wipe his palms on his cloak. His aide noticed, and lent him her handkerchief. "Thank you, I feel like a newly hired staffer." She smiled, "Happens to the best sir." He could see several other familiar faces, all with the same look of confusion, their eyes darting all over the room. The Senate seemed like it was awaiting the latest musical act, the excitement and anxiety was palpable.

Bail saw a figure stand up and float towards Mas Amedda's platform, it was Admiral Wilhuf Tarkin alone in a pod. He straightened his shoulders, silently letting the Senate be aware that he was ready, even the most chatty of senators quickly quieted themselves, it was an eery prowess Tarkin had to make others bend to his will with little to no obvious action. Grand Vizier Mas Amedda banged his cane on the floor of his repulsorpod, "Silence" boomed his voice throughout the Congress.

Tarkin cleared his voice, and took a step forward, "As you know, our Grand Chancellor, who we, the people voted emergency powers is dead." The room rose up in argument, Mas Amedda again rose his voice, banging, "Order! Order! We will HAVE order!" Beginning again Tarkin rose his voice ever so slightly,"There are many rumours flying around that our beloved leader was what the Jedi will have you believe, a Sith." The last word hissed from his mouth and Tarkin raised a hand to silence people, "Yes, the superstitious alleged peacekeepers of this Republic believed that the Chancellor was a member of an order than was many eons ago the enemy of the Jedi."

Tarkin allowed the Senators to shout over each other, filling the room with a vile smoke as people hissed and booed, several factions had been battling in a cold war in the Senate. Those that opposed the excessive powers granted to Palpatine, and those that seemingly disliked free will and wanted nothing more than for Palpatine to take his rightful place as supreme leader, he could hear them battle now, some booed at the very implication of wrongdoing of Palpatine's, other simply booed for hearing his name, many others however distrusted the Jedi, these quasi secretive order that was not accountable to the very democracy they fought for.

Bail Organa knew these feelings had been stewing for years, even before the Clone Wars, people disliked Palpatine's growing influence and style of rule, but they distrusted the Jedi more, Bail himself teetered on the fence, he was very close friends with many in the Jedi Order, but even he questioned their part in the War.

Clearing his throat again, Tarkin raised his right hand gesturing for silence, and the audience obeyed, "As part of our Constitution, the Republic has promised freedom of Religion, in the Republic we have millions of worlds, thousands of languages, cultures, races, ethnicities, and creeds." Pausing for dramatic effect he placed his arms behind him, "Grand Chancellor Sheev Palpatine was allegedly a follower of the Sith faith, this is not against our own laws of our Republic Constitution, it is not even against the law of any planet of the Republic."

"I say once more, it was not Palpatine who has broken our constitution."

Bail Organa's eyes widened, and he leaned in, in disbelief. as the next statement followed, not entirely sure where Tarkin was leading, "No, an order that is supposed to serve us, instead expects us to serve them."

A Dug senator from Malastare waved down a droid to request the floor, Bail saw from the corner of his vision, a repulsorpod then quickly approached the center, and its senator quietly stood, waiting for access. Mas Amedda banged his cane, "Senator from Malastare, Ask Aak has the floor. The senator spoke in Dug, "Should we not allow the Jedi themselves to plead their case to us?, Why are they not here to defend themselves?" A murmur of whispers enveloped the Senate again. Bail also wondered silently, where this was all going.

Tarkin nodded, "I agree Senator, in fact I have invited a small delegation of the Jedi here." Tarkin lifted his arm to point to a repulsorpod, Bail brought up a small vid screen to see what was causing such a commotion. Three figures in cloaks were ushered onto a pod that was off to the side of the room by an exit door. One figure took their hood down, and it was then he could see the man behind the hood, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi and Stass Allie. All eyes were on this repulsorpod as it slowly floated towards the center. "The representatives of the Jedi, have the floor."

Instead of booing, as Bail predicted there was eerie silence, Bail Organa brought the vid screen closer to his face, he saw that Mace looked hunched over, and not standing in his usual confident stance. "Something is wrong," he said out loud to his representatives, "I can't put my finger on it, but.." but he trailed off.

"What defense do you have, what do you say of your actions?" Tarkin asked Mace, speaking to the audience

"I have nothing to say to you. This is no court of law, the court of public opinion has already made their judgment final." Mace replied hoarsely

"You have no response to being called a traitor to the Republic?"

"I am no traitor, what I did, I did for the Republic!" Bail dropped the screen to the floor but even from as far back as Alderaan's pod he could see what looked like a crazed look.

"We have you on an audio security tape planning to murder the Chancellor, while he screamed for help. If he was guilty as you say, he should have stood trial."

Mace's eyes widened, he gestured wildly to the crowd, "He was too dangerous to be left alive, he owned the Senate! How are you all so blind to his crimes!"

"So you admit to be a murderer!"

Mace threw off his cloak, and shouted loud enough to nearly be heard throughout the Senate without need of amplification, "Murder? Leaving a Sith to control democracy, to lead us further into a war that has darkened our way of life! No, Tarkin, what I did was not murder. It was saving the Republic."

Tarkin gave him a look, more like a sneer, and spoke to the crowd. "I see, General Windu. We have a...difference of opinion."

Mace looked Tarkin up and down, similar to how a predator would look at prey, his right hand grazed his lightsaber on his left side, then dropped to the side. "I respectfully disagree."

"General Windu, I agree with your earlier point. This is not a court of law, but I do believe that you, and your order are complicit in the murder of the Grand Chancellor, and pursuant to the Criminal Code of The Republic, Section 22, I hereby arrest you, General Master Mace Windu, of the Jedi Order."

Tarkin waved over a the Coruscant Guard, Stass Allie and Ki-Adi Mundi in shock simply stared ahead as their colleague was shackled, and Mace Windu simply kneeled and bowed his head. "General Windu, I am arresting you for for the murder of Sheev Palpatine. You have the right to retain and instruct counsel without delay. You also have the right to free and immediate legal advice from duty counsel by making free holo-net calls during business hours Do you understand?"

Mace Windu nodded, and replied hoarsely, "Yes"

"Do you wish to call a lawyer?"

He shook his head, "No."

"You also have the right to apply for legal assistance through the Republic legal aid program.

Do you understand?"

"I do"

Silently, and without fuss Mace Windu stepped into the Coruscanti Guard's pod, his shoulders visibly sunken and he was led towards the exit. Bail imagined, that this fight was not over, and doubted that the Jedi Order would allow one of their highest ranking members to be tried by the Republic courts when they could hardly deny that they did in fact, murder the leader of the very institution. Institutional bias was so obvious, that there may not even be a court that could legally hear the case. Still, Bail had no doubt that the courts would find a way. Until then, the question was what was to become of the Jedi Order.

Still the senate had no idea how to react, the two Jedi figures still standing, Stass Allie spoke in such a soft tone that it was barely audible through the translator droids and microphones, "Admiral Tarkin, does the Senate have the right to investigate the Order? We have our own forms of investigation and dispute resolution, can we not handle this as an internal matter?" Tarkin was not a jovial man, but in reply, he laughed heartily. "Your Order murders the leader of the Republic, and you ask for this matter to be handled internally?"

Ki Adi Mundi added, "This was an action during a time of crisis, it was not done with the council's approval!"

Tarkin nodded, "Your comment bears some truth, I am sure. This is for the courts to decide. Until now, you are free to go, but I will warn you and your order, not to leave the planet."

Bail hoped his message to Obi-Wan had not come too late and he managed to get off world. The democracy Bail Organa had served no longer existed, and the Republic had become the very evil he believed in destroying. A part of him, a naive part of him believed that by removing Palpatine would cleanse the corruption of the Senate. It was only now that he saw that the rot of corruption in the senate had permeated the very core of democracy. The entire meeting, from beginning to end was a theatrical production, no political matters, bills, or questions were to be heard in the Senate. All of it, was simply to show the Republic, in particular the might of Tarkin's influence over the military, and over the public. Palpatine was just the beginning, it was more than his personal presence. His very influence had already seeped into every crevasse, into every seat, and every letter. Bail sunk further into his seat, his head into his hands. Sighing deeply, he composed himself and flagged a page droid, and handed over a datapad after keying in a few coordinates, "Please mark this as confidential and send it immediately."

The droid nodded in recognition, "May I ask who the recipient is?"  
"To the ambassador on Naboo, he will know what to do."

"Of course, right away Senator Organa."


	19. Chapter 19 : Naboo

Chapter Nineteen:

The mood in the palace on Theed was frenetic, confusion and fear permeated the marble floors. It was an usually warm day, and the automatic environmental systems conveniently were at their most unstable which was causing politicians and security details to sweat underneath their uniforms, and cloaks. The discomfort led to everyone to be agitated, Queen Apailana brought a silken handkerchief to her forehead being careful not to smudge the white paint on her face, but she too was sweating underneath it. The paint acted as a mask to hide her emotions creating a shield between her and her political opponents, and it aided in this now as one of her aides whispered into her ear.

She nodded before speaking plainly, "Bring him to me." The young aide, probably no more than 15 stood straight and bowed, before sprinting from the room. News from Coruscant spread fast, Naboo was the homeworld of the former Senator Palpatine and a planet that prefered to remain outside of most affairs. However it appeared that the galaxy prefered Naboo to be thrust into history, once again. The news of the Republic Military placing the Jedi Order until martial law had put the Queen of Naboo on edge, worse still was an encrypted message from the Senator from Alderaan.

The Ambassador bowed his head and walked towards the throne chair, it had been over a decade since the Battle of Naboo, but still the very presence of Gungans on land was an odd sight, "Da most noble and gracious Queen of Naboo, meesa come to you with mooey, mooey humility."

Queen Apailana smiled, and gestured for the Ambassador to come closer, some people on Naboo would scorn such a thick Gungan accent, but the Queen respected those who forgoed the diplo-dialect. After dealing with diplomats, senators, lobby groups daily for years it was easy to tire of the fake niceties. "Thank you Ambassador Binks. Your presence is always appreciated here on Naboo. Please, tell me what news from Senator Organa you bring."

Jar Jar's eyes blinked, he still behaved as if he were always to be an outsider, but the training in politics he received from Senator Amidala kicked in quickly and he raised his hand to his chest, "Senator Organa, brings bombad news from the Senate, Master Mace has been arrested."

The Queen nodded somberly, "Yes Jar Jar, we have just heard the news ourselves,"

Nodding, Jar Jar attempted to clear his throat, it was clear his nervousness about speaking to the Naboo elite was difficult to him. "Senator Organa also saying dat Separatist leaders are missing, and dat Grando Master Yoda be missin'." The face paint on the Queen did its best to hide the reaction growing on her face, as she leaned in slightly, "Missing, missing how Jar Jar."

Jar Jar shrugged, "Meesa no know Queenie, Meesa just da messenger, bombad times though."

"How did no one know about the leaders of the Separatists?" She asked.

Jar Jar's eye stalked lowered towards the floor, and shuffled his feet, the Queen asked the question knowing that he wouldn't have the answers, "The end of this war is nutsen, meesa no answers for you Queenie."

Queen Apailana composed herself, "I'm sorry Ambassador Binks, I know. But we must find the answers, thank you for coming to me. Please send in my head of security on your way out. I must have answers." Jar Jar bowed again to the Queen and walked out towards the door. The Queen could hardly sit still and walked towards the large windows that looked out towards the courtyard, waiting for the head of security. How many Queens and Kings had looked out this window, while the fate of the planet and galaxy was being decided.

Obi-Wan and Rex hired a small riverboat, it was small and less likely to draw attention. The likelihood of anyone on Naboo searching for a Jedi Master and a clone trooper captain were small, especially ones in tourist attire, and especially a master and captain assumed to still be fighting somewhere in the Outer Rim. Still, Obi-Wan wasn't one to leave everything to chance. "I've never been to Naboo Sir. It sure is something." Without looking Obi-Wan replied matter of factly, "Yes it's a popular tourist destination." Rex sensed unease in the Jedi, and pursed his lips, and didn't push the thought. "I'm sorry Rex, this planet has bad memories for me."

"Sorry Sir."

It was hard not to enjoy the sounds of the lapping water, and the perfumed air, and soon Obi-Wan was at ease, allowing the sun to warm his face. The river pushed away the humid air, and soon his muscles relaxed. The green hills to the distance very nearly looked artificial, some sort of painting on a wall in a museum far away. He let himself focus on the here and now, and let the Force speak to him, as his Master often reminded him. It had been so long since he allowed himself a quiet moment, darting from skirmish to skirmish on Outer Rim worlds with Anakin hardly allowed for a moment when the two were not being shot at. As often as he complained about it, Obi-Wan wouldn't have wanted the last few months any other way.

Captain Rex motioned over towards the hill, "I think we're here Sir." Obi-Wan squinted over towards the villa overlooking the water, "I think you're right." Smiling, Obi-Wan gathered his robe and piloted the small watercraft towards the shore. After awkwardly stepping out of the craft he arched his back, and started walking towards a villa. Rex pointed to a small figure of a person, the sun made it difficult to make out, "Sir, is that-", Obi-Wan squinted, and then laughed, "Yes, I do believe it is." The figure started running towards the duo, Obi-Wan outstretched his arms for an embrace that never came, as Ahsoka ran towards Captain Rex., "Commander, it's...good to see you."

Obi-Wan coughed, gaining the attention of Ahsoka, as she too pulled Obi-Wan in for an embrace. "I am so happy to see you both," she said choking back a few tears. Standing straight she took a step back, "I have a sneaking suspicion that you two aren't here for a good reason."

"I'm afraid not," Obi-Wan replied. Ahsoka frowned, "The galaxy can't be at peace for a single moment, not even here." Obi-Wan nodded

Ahsoka led the two inside the villa, Obi-Wan had never been here himself but he knew the place. It was the very same villa he had sent Anakin to, to protect Padmé, a life that seemed a lifetime ago. He shed his cloak, and hung it up on a hook near the door with care. He took a deep breath before turning, he could sense him on the top of the stairs before he could see him. Such was the connection in the force between a Master and Padawan, never easily broken, especially when neither ever willed their connection broken.

His mouth was slightly agape before he spoke, "W-wha-", Obi-Wan laughed, "What am I doing here?" Obi-Wan shrugged and gestured towards the top of the stairs where Anakin was standing, "The galaxy is in turmoil and you're the only one that can help me." Ahsoka rolled her eyes, "Same old, same old." Anakin sprinted down the stairs, skipping several, before rushing to hug his former Master. "Thank you," Anakin whispered. "For what?"

"For everything." Obi-Wan stayed silent. Anakin stood up and brushed himself off. "Come, there's some people I wish for you to meet."


End file.
